Edmund Burke, 18th century
political theorist and philosopher wrote; “Tell me what are the
prevailing sentiments that occupy the minds of your young men,[and women] and I
will tell you what is to be the character of the next generation”.
The future is not some indistinct unknowable
property. We are all involved in the active construction of the future. Through
policies or actions we enable or obstruct the thriving of our children and
shape our destiny. What our children eat and how the learn determines our place
in the global productivity league table.
Over 80 percent of Kenya’s population is
aged below 35 years and the median age is just 19 years. If you doubt these
statistics, take a close look at the faces of Kenyans who swarm political
rallies. If you are still not convinced take a walk on the streets of the cities
and towns of this great land.
Alvin Toffler, American futurist and author
of Future Shock, argued persuasively about why youth must participate in the
present moment. Toffler wrote; “The
secret message communicated to most young people today by the society around
them is that they are not needed, that the society will run itself quite nicely
until they — at some distant point in the future — will take over the reigns.
Yet the fact is that the society is not running itself nicely… because the rest
of us need all the energy, brains, imagination and talent that young people can
bring to bear down on our difficulties”.
Politicians have exhorted the youth to
register and vote in the 2017 elections. The imperative to register has been
unanimous across the ethnic political divide – Kenya’s future is in the hands
of the youth. The electoral power of the youth is consequential. For instance,
about 55 percent of Nairobi’s population is between 18 and 35 years. But not to
think of youth beyond voting would be tragic.
The problems that face Kenyan youth are
complex and urgent. Our schools fail too many young people. Labor participation
among youth is less than 40 percent. Majority of youth are unskilled,
unemployed, underemployed and underpaid. The ranks of working poor youths are
swelling rapidly.
Policy makers and donors, without shame
or remorse, continue to promote wrongheaded interventions in the name of youth
empowerment. For example, there is little evidence that youth funds are
working. There is also a growing fantasy that somehow agriculture and entrepreneurship
are the panacea for youth unemployment. Moreover, the current wave of TVET
proliferation plans is not informed by skills gap or labor market needs.
According to Burke, “the arrogance of
age must submit to be taught by youth.” Alvin Toffler’s warns that to imagine
that we can run our society without the full participation of even very young
people is imbecile.
The youth have exemplary passion and
creativity, and are enthusiastic about being part of the solution to the myriad
problems we face as society. They are crying out for a chance to get involved,
beyond voting.
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