Parties must address intergenerational tensions – The Standard

As Kenya gears up for increasingly competitive elections, the opinion argues that political parties must urgently address inter-generational tensions or risk becoming obsolete. The article notes that those aged 18 to 35 comprise around 36% of the population and are poised to play a defining role in the country’s democracy, yet fewer than 20% of young people are formally affiliated with any political party.
This exclusion, the writer contends, isn’t just a political gap—it is a breach of inter-generational justice, wherein one generation owes the next meaningful access to power, resources, and opportunity.
For many youth in Kenya, the reality is that political parties often treat them as spectators rather than partners. They may appear at rallies as bloggers, entertainers or canvassers, but rarely hold real influence over strategy, policy or leadership selection.
Party youth wings regularly receive unpredictable or symbolic funding, and key tickets are still allocated behind closed doors based on age, money, loyalty or community networks rather than on open competition or merit. The article warns that this tokenism breeds cynicism among young voters—and a democracy that fails to give its largest demographic a genuine voice is sowing seeds of its own irrelevance.
Looking ahead, the article suggests concrete reform steps: political parties should adopt youth-inclusion quotas for leadership roles, provide predictable and adequate funding for youth structures, embed reverse mentorship (where young strategists and digital natives collaborate with senior politicians), and perhaps even allow minors under 18 to join parties to deepen civic engagement early.
The Standard
By doing so, parties would align the energy, innovation and cultural insight of youth with the institutional memory and negotiation experience of older leaders—creating a more inclusive, resilient political ecosystem.