Following a clarion call by the youth during the 2021 African Governance Architecture (AGA) Regional Youth Consultations, the AGA under the auspices of the AGA Youth Engagement Strategy spearheaded the development of a Comprehensive Guide and Facilitator and Participants Manuals on Youth Participation in Political and Electoral Processes in Africa. The Guide and accompanying Manuals were developed in collaboration with the Common Market for East and Southern Africa Secretariat (COMESA) with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation- SDC. The manuals underwent a painstaking research, review, and validation process with the full involvement of youth leaders and experts across the five regions of the continent.
Justifying Meaningful Engagement And Inclusion Of Young People In Political Processes.
More transparency, better accountability, and greater responsiveness to the youth demographic are elements young Kenyans yearn for. The Kenyan government is beginning to respond to these demands. To encourage more civic engagement by younger citizens, the government is taking measures through the World Bank's Kenya Accountable Devolution Program (KADP) to incorporate public participatory budgeting into their budget decision-making process. The 2007 general elections highlighted Kenya's failure to engage its youth constituency effectively in political, governance, and electoral processes. Building trust between young people and democratic institutions is critical as young people make up a substantive part of the overall Kenyan population.
Impact Of Social Media On Youth Political Participation In Electoral Processes: A Comparative Study Of Nigeria And Kenya
Social media has been used by marginalized voices to raise issues of concern within the society, mobilize youth groups, and hold political leaders accountable for their campaign promises. The Youth Cafe has been part of an online event, Democracy In East Africa In The Wake Of The Coronavirus Pandemic: Challenges And Opportunities. Our main focus was on: The next generation and Youth inclusion in politics. Governments and policymakers in East Africa are reluctant to include youth in the formal political systems. What future do the youths want and how can they increase their participation in politics?