This report is The Youth Cafe’s review of youth participation in 2022 General elections in Kenya. It builds on the previous reports by adding new data from the last two general elections, using age data from official electoral datasets., as well as other quantitative and qualitative data from 47 counties. The data is current as at 16 Jan 2023. Scholarly studies and information from interviews also helped provide a full picture of youth participation before, during and after elections in 2022. Key findings and examples of good practices on addressing youth under-representation are included throughout the report, as are recommendations for further action.
General Election Process From the Ballot to the Portal
The 2022 general elections were the third general election and the fourth presidential election since the promulgation of the Constitution 2010. They were also the 7th periodic general elections since the re-introduction of multi-party democracy in Kenya in 1991. They were transitional elections for Kenya as they marked the end of the incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta’s two terms in office. Similarly, there were 22 transitions at the county governors’ level due to the expiry of respective 2 term limits. Since the re-introduction of multi-party politics in 1991, Kenyan elections have remained very high-stakes affairs that are characterized by heightened socio-economic, political and ethnic tensions.