This archive report was first published on 27 October 2019.
Published on October 27, 2019, by Scheaffer Okore, a renowned author.
Age is not a qualification for leadership, yet Kenya continues to appoint old people to key positions, disregarding the needs of its majority youth population.
According to the 2017 Youth Wellbeing Index, about 60% of Africans, including youth, believe their governments are failing to address their needs.
Kenyan youth share these sentiments, feeling underrepresented by old leaders who have demonstrated they are capable of doing the work themselves.
Instead of being asked to fight for positions, youth should be given opportunities based on merit, rather than tribal and nepotistic grounds.
Similarly, women are often asked to fight for representation, but the rules of the battle are drastically different for them.
The decision to appoint old people is reckless, especially when there's a bigger pool of fresh leaders to draw from.
Kenya's future depends on its youth, who are eager to make the country a livable place. It's time for old leaders to step aside and let the young people take the reins.
