Youth Convening Calls for Greater Youth Participation in Shaping Kenya’s Future
By Peace Muthoka
NAIROBI, Kenya — Young people have called for greater and continuous participation in Kenya’s governance, economic development and use of technology, saying they should have a meaningful role in shaping decisions that affect their lives and the country’s future.
The call was made in the communiqué issued at the conclusion of the 4th National Youth Convening held from September 21 to 25, 2026, under the theme “Claiming Spaces and Shaping Kenya.”
The young people and stakeholders who attended the convening said youth participation should go beyond elections and voting to include policy development, public participation, leadership, oversight and other decision-making processes at both grassroots and national levels.
The communiqué said young people are not merely beneficiaries of decisions made by others but are citizens, innovators, entrepreneurs, leaders and creators with a role to play in shaping Kenya’s present and future.
“As young people, we also recognize our own responsibility; If we do not organize we will agonize,” the communiqué states, urging young people to remain informed, engaged and willing to demand accountability.
As Kenya approaches another electoral cycle, the youth called for peaceful, informed and issue-based political participation. They also urged young people to verify information and reject misinformation, disinformation, political manipulation and ethnic mobilisation.
The convening also placed technology and innovation at the centre of discussions on youth opportunities, noting that digital platforms are increasingly shaping how young people learn, work, communicate, organise and create businesses.
The participants said technology should be viewed broadly, including the use of platforms such as WhatsApp by entrepreneurs to reach customers, digital platforms by job seekers and assistive technologies by people with disabilities to access opportunities.
They, however, noted that the cost of devices and internet access, unreliable electricity, limited digital skills, inadequate mentorship, lack of capital and limited access to markets and networks continue to affect young people’s ability to benefit fully from technology.
The communiqué called for technology that expands opportunity and inclusion rather than deepening existing inequalities.
On entrepreneurship, the youth called for a shift from what they described as survival-driven hustles towards sustainable enterprises capable of growing, creating employment and providing lasting solutions to community challenges.
They said young businesses continue to face challenges including cash flow, customer retention, competition, taxation, record keeping, registration and licensing costs.
The participants further called for improved access to mentorship, financing, partnerships, markets and professional networks to help young people turn ideas into viable enterprises.
For young creatives, they said there is a need to recognise creative work as a profession and economic product while strengthening awareness of intellectual property, ownership and royalties.
Artificial intelligence also featured prominently in the communiqué, with the youth welcoming its potential to support entrepreneurship, employment, creativity and learning while calling for responsible use of emerging technologies.
They raised concerns about data privacy, digital safety, misinformation, errors in AI-generated information and over-reliance on technology.
The youth also called for stronger digital literacy and information verification skills as digital platforms increasingly become spaces for civic engagement, business and creativity.
“Technology must strengthen—not replace—human responsibility,” the communiqué states.
The convening also highlighted the personal pressures facing young people, including unemployment, rising living costs, repeated rejection, financial pressure, relationship difficulties and changing expectations around work.
The participants called for stronger support systems, safe spaces for honest conversations and appropriate professional care, alongside livelihood approaches that address young people’s wellbeing as well as their technical skills.
The communiqué further urged government, the private sector, civil society, faith institutions, development partners and other stakeholders to invest in systems that can help young people access practical skills, financing, mentorship, networks and markets.
The youth said they were ready to work across generations, combining the experience and knowledge of older generations with the energy, creativity and innovation of young people.
“Claiming spaces means more than occupying them. It means using them to create value, solve problems and influence the future,” the communiqué states.
The communiqué was signed on September 25, 2026, at CSLC Ufungamano House by Rev. Canon Chris Kinyanjui, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK).
