Policy Interventions And Measures Ahead Of The 2022 General Elections.

The Youth Café, in its mandate to safeguard the public's interest, is investing in different policy interventions that have a direct bearing on the citizens, and accountability of the Kenyan Government.

The 2022 elections are viewed as a moment to raise the integrity bar and root corrupt leaders out of office. During the past few years, corruption has increased significantly in the country. The whole idea of corruption has been ethnicized and politicized, allowing leaders and Kenyan citizens today to disregard the question of accountability, and as a result, we have performed poorly in the fight against corruption. 

We have seen that political leaders who have formerly been involved in corruption scandals have entirely been elected as representatives of the people during elections. Many of whom have not been vetted nor have the charges against them been dropped. This in turn raises eyebrows on their integrity and values as they take up positions of power.

We saw the need to include the following vetting parameters when electing leaders; ban the election of candidates who have pending investigations so that political power is not misused. This should also be done by political parties when selecting members to represent them in the upcoming elections. Proper vetting and investigations should be done on members before parties submit their names to the Independent Electoral Board Commission.

We also ought to ensure that candidates pending criminal proceedings are banned from elections. To ensure that the access to justice is not hampered in case the office they hold has power and in case of a conviction, Kenyans are not subjected to re-elections. Re-elections are not only time-consuming but are a waste of resources and taxpayer money.

Ban candidates who are indicated by parliamentary committees or impeached through the Senate process from holding office. Encourage open discussions by members of the public on ethical leadership. This will reduce the chance of voters voting in a member who will most likely abuse the seat and has been selected solely on the basis that they belong to the same ethical background.

At The Youth Café, we urge the government to invest in software that can alter corruption issues by ensuring adequate protection of whistleblowers. Corruption is the major cause of inadequate growth and transformation in Kenya and Africa. This growth and transformation could revolve around gender equality, better public universal healthcare, an education system, and the achievement of sustainable development goals, food security, and even general peace and security. The rise in corruption cases are a result of unreported cases of wrongdoing, lack of support and protection when making a report, and people casually normalizing corruption in all aspects of life.

Kenya does not have a dedicated law or policy to provide whistleblowers with safe and reliable avenues to report fraud, corruption, and other wrongdoing. As a result, whistleblowers continue to face targeted attacks that affect their social and economic well-being while the perpetrators roam free, and this, in turn, discourages many from coming forward.

The Youth Café further calls for; An amendment of the whistleblower protection bill 2021 immediately before the National Assembly, as a result, to get practical action towards the fight against corruption.

The government should recognize all known whistleblowers of acts of corruption in Kenya including giving them awards. This would serve as a motivation to others afraid of coming forward with evidence of corrupt leaders in power.

Nearly all elections have registered a regression in economic growth since 2001. It’s worse now and this is because of poor preparedness resulting in unrest and violence among citizens.

The IEBC, The Youth Café, and all actors charged with responsibilities around the elections communicate their preparedness for the elections more often to grant public confidence in the electoral process and to reduce uncertainty in the country. All aspirants campaign differently to reduce voter polarization and tensions arising from heated campaigns.

The Youth Café works with young men and women around Africa as a trailblazer in advancing youth-led approaches toward achieving sustainable development, social equity, innovative solutions, community resilience, and transformative change.

Contact us for any comments or suggestions.