Kiongozi.ke Platform to Increase Youth’ Political Participation Launched

A platform seeking to increase youth participation in elective politics has been launched as the country gears towards the general elections in August.

Dubbed Kiongozi, the platform will be a springboard for emerging leaders, grassroots youths, women, social change drivers and people living with a disability.

Developed by volunteers, Kiongozi, the first online leadership networking platform in the country, went live on Thursday creating an avenue for thousands of youth keen on vying for various elective positions to interact, strategize and share resources to actualize their dreams.

Phillip Pande, one of the volunteers who developed the platform said youthful aspirants now have an opportunity to upload their profiles, manifestos and events on the platform.

This, he said, would enable them to exchange knowledge, experiences at the same time build capacity for one another and share resources.

Membership to the platform which also targets innovators, entrepreneurs and passionate impact drivers, he said is voluntary urging young leaders and aspirants to take advantage and upload their profiles.

“By sharing their political ambitions, profiles and manifesto we expect the information to reach far and wide where organizations or individuals interested to support them can reach out,” he said.

Resources, he noted, were the biggest impediment to young leaders seeking elective positions and expressing optimism that the platform shall enable them to raise money from within and outside to run their campaigns.

“For example, through networking, three or more aspirants in a particular ward can come together and assess their strengths after which the one who is popular can be supported by the others to clinch the seat,” he said.

“The goal here is not just competition but to increase youth representation at national and county level,” he added.

Speaking in Kisumu on Thursday during the launch of the platform, Pande said the platform targets to establish a pool of fresh ideas and resilient leaders for the posterity of the country.

“We are co-designing a new agenda for the young people, by the young people and with the young people committed to co-creating and implementing sustainable solutions that will drive forward the transformation of the country through improved involvement of young people and women in decision making,” he said.

Pande who is vying for Kisumu County Senate seat said Kiongozi will continue to drive pro-young people evidence-based and data-informed policies to champion the role of young people in nation-building.

The platform, he disclosed, has already attracted 50 active users adding that over 10, 000 young leaders were expected to be enlisted.

“The headquarters of this platform is in Nairobi but we are launching it here in Kisumu before moving to other regions across the country,” he said.

Sam Oduor, a Member of County Assembly (MCA) aspirant for Manyatta B ward said the platform could not have come at a better time and urged all young aspirants to upload their profiles.

On resource mobilization and sharing, Oduor said through the platform, two or more aspirants from neighbouring wards or constituencies could come together and share one billboard to popularize their bids and in turn cut on campaign costs.

Kenya boasts of a huge demographic dividend with young people making 79 per cent of the population. Surprisingly, this endowment is not reflected in the country’s leadership.

In the 2017 general elections, only one young person was elected governor in the whole republic. This, the young leaders say will change with the youth actively participating in the political space, and through contesting in the various elective seats in the upcoming general elections this August.

Of the 290 elected members of the National Assembly, a paltry 27 were below 35 years with only 430 out of 1450 members of County Assembly (MCA’s) being youth.

Eight of 47 Women representatives are youth while at the Senate only eleven youth made it.