Political analyst Marsden Kibet has called on Kenyan youth to unite and take a more active role in elections, warning that low turnout and internal divisions continue to weaken their ability to shape the country’s leadership and direction.
Speaking during an interview on Radio Generation on Friday, Kibet pointed to the untapped strength of young people, noting that they hold great potential to drive growth across key sectors of the economy. He urged them to focus on issue-based leadership while embracing opportunities in areas such as manufacturing, agriculture, infrastructure and the digital economy.
“One of the number six in terms of global economy in Africa is we the youths, we are capable of doing more in terms of manufacturing, in terms of agriculture, in terms of infrastructure and even the digital economy,” he said.
He described the digital space as a major area of opportunity, saying it offers young people a broad platform for innovation and income generation.
Kibet added that creative industries and digital content creation could help unlock economic empowerment, encouraging support for local ideas and platforms that can enable citizens to earn a living.
Despite these opportunities, he raised concern over the low participation of young voters in past elections, saying this has limited their political influence.
“And last elections, majority of people who didn't vote were the youths. I hope this election, majority of them will be the youth who will turn up to vote,” he said.
He stressed that unity among young people will be key if they are to bring about real change, warning that divisions along identity lines continue to hold them back.
“For us youth, we don't have the unity, and for us to change our country, we need everybody to speak the same voice, not everybody to go back to their tribal cocoon,” he stated.
According to Kibet, such divisions weaken collective action and reduce the ability of young voters to influence national decisions.
He also addressed the wider question of leadership, noting that while many political aspirants present strong ideas, voters must go beyond speeches and carefully assess their ability to deliver.
“There are so many presidential candidates in our country and having so many presidential aspirants is very good for our country, but we need somebody who can tell us this is the way to go,” he said.
He observed that most candidates speak convincingly, which can make it hard for voters to tell them apart.
“But then all these people we elect, when they speak, they sound good, they all give the impression that if you give them the job, they will perform,” he added.
Kibet urged voters, especially the youth, to focus on track records and leadership ability rather than promises alone. He also pointed out that experience still plays a role in governance, calling for a balance between new ideas and guidance from seasoned leaders.
“Sometimes, they always say, if we need wisdom, you need to sit close to your father or your grandfather. They can guide you and tell you this is the right thing,” he said.
At the same time, he called for an end to confrontational political behaviour, urging both leaders and citizens to separate governance from political rivalry.
“We should stop these politics of heckling, because governance and heckling are two different wide lens,” he explained.
He further encouraged young people to prioritise accountability, legislative ability and proper representation when choosing leaders.
“We the youths, we need to speak in one language, speak in one voice, and see whether you can choose people who have track records, who can represent as well in terms of legislative,” he said.
His remarks come at a time when debate continues to grow around the role of young people in Kenya’s politics. Although they form a large part of the population, their participation in elections has remained uneven, often affected by apathy, frustration and other barriers.
Kibet’s message adds to the ongoing conversation on civic engagement, raising fresh questions about whether Kenya’s youth can overcome divisions and use their numbers to shape the country’s future leadership.