EALA MP David Sankok has said Kenya is witnessing a clear shift in how young people engage in politics, arguing that the youth are increasingly moving away from tribal-based politics and leaning towards issue-based leadership, especially after nationwide protests against the Finance Bill, 2024 and growing calls for accountability.
Speaking during a radio interview on Radio Generation on Monday, David Sankok said Gen Z voters are shaping a new political direction where ethnicity is becoming less important, and national issues are now guiding how they relate with leaders and make political choices.
He linked this change to the protests against the Finance Bill, 2024, saying the demonstrations showed rare unity among young people across the country. He noted that protests were seen in different towns, including Mombasa, Kisumu and Nairobi, without ethnic divisions influencing participation.
“When it came to the youth, Generation Z, you cannot tell because they did not have any tribe, did not have any region. What they wanted is just good leadership,” he said, adding that the protests were driven by a shared rejection of the Finance Bill rather than ethnic mobilisation.
He further said the demonstrations carried a single clear message from the youth. “They had decided that we don't want the Finance Bill, and that was their clarion call. Nothing else mattered,” he said, insisting that the movement reflected a new political awareness that leaders should not ignore.
Sankok warned that attempts to revive ethnic politics risk failing to reflect what is currently happening among young voters, saying leaders should instead respond to issues of governance, service delivery and accountability.
He also addressed concerns over insecurity, cautioning against linking crime to specific communities. He said security matters must be handled without bias and stressed that responsibility should remain individual.
“Any Kenyan who is a criminal does not carry the name of a tribe,” he said, adding that accountability should guide how both leaders and security agencies handle criminal cases.
His remarks come at a time when youth political participation has been rising across the country, including through the “Tuko Kadi” voter registration drive, which has encouraged more young people to register and take part in elections.
Data from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission shows that 875,501 new voters have been registered since March 30, 2026. Out of these, 531,185 were registered within a single week between April 3 and April 9, reflecting a sharp rise in voter engagement.
The commission said the increase reflects “a nation that is awake, engaged, and ready to take charge of its destiny,” noting that registration is ongoing across all 1,450 wards, universities, Huduma Centres and constituency offices.
IEBC also recorded 49,502 voter transfer applications and 1,066 updates of voter details during the same period. It has urged eligible citizens to complete registration before the April 28 deadline.
Sankok further maintained that insecurity should not be politicised or linked to communities, insisting that crime must be treated as an individual act and not used to stereotype groups.
He said both political leaders and security agencies must avoid ethnic profiling while ensuring equal protection for all citizens under the law.