As the continuous voter registration exercise is ongoing across the country, civic education should be a priority in addressing high voter apathy among Kenyan youth. Low voter registration among the young is worrying,
Preparing youth to be responsible citizens and participate in elections and governance is important. However, due to a lack of information, many youths are left out.
The low turnout of Kenyans coming up to register to participate in elections provides the obvious justification for the robust civic education and should motivate all players to engage the electorate, especially the youth, to register.
The target of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is about six million eligible voters. However, voter registration is dismal, especially among the youth.
The IEBC should intensify civic education to interest, reach and register more young people.
Civic education and registration drives should target communities, universities, colleges, youth events and online platforms to ensure that Kenya’s largest demographic takes its rightful place at the ballot box in 2027.
Youth are by far the largest component of Kenya’s population and voters. Civic education would enlighten young people on the ins and outs of the Constitution, the democratic and electoral processes.
More should be done to reach the youth, at their formative stages—catch them young, as the saying goes.
Kenya can borrow some lessons from Ghana, which has rolled out civic education clubs. The clubs are designed to encourage students to study the constitution and deepen their understanding of democracy and nation-building.
The clubs were established to engage young people in discussions on the constitution, helping them appreciate its principles and relevance as the country’s supreme legal framework. The initiative is aimed at instilling patriotism and civic responsibility in learners.
Civic education is not only good for free, fair and peaceful elections, but it is necessary for the fulfilment of citizens’ civic duty and the consolidation of Kenya’s elections and governance system. Also, civic education would help to strengthen youth civic values and contribute positively to national development.
Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, while addressing the National Youth Leaders Convention, remarked that the folly of the country’s political class has put the youth in a moral vacuum, with no idea of what is right and what is wrong.
Indeed, the complex nature of Kenya’s elections that require voters to elect six representatives, coupled with charged and polluted political campaigns and limited non-partisan information, makes it difficult for citizens to tell what is true and what is untrue.
Civil society has an important role in educating the public on democratic values and behaviour.
Equally important, civil society’s public education and engagement campaigns on elections are critical for citizens’ informed participation in the electoral process.
Credible and peaceful elections require concerted effort. The public, the Executive, Parliament, the Judiciary, political parties, civil society, religious leaders, the media and the private sector, with support from development partners, must all come together to deliver the best elections for Kenya.
Kenya’s 2027 elections will benefit in a big way from the support and diligence of credible national and international civil society and electoral observers. Therefore, the country has no excuse to lock out credible and worthy support.
In 2001, when then President Daniel arap Moi tried to stifle civic education programmes, members of the opposition parties, led by Mwai Kibaki, and the Kenya Episcopal Conference, chaired by Bishop John Njue, realising the importance of public education, stood firm and cautioned the government against the dangers of demonising civic education.
Truth be told, Kenyans can never build a strong democracy and a great country if they are not well-informed. Let us not forget that to vote is not merely to tick boxes.
Most importantly, citizens’ participation in the electoral process must be based on an informed and profound understanding of their rights and responsibilities, not just participation for the sake of participation.
Kenya must support objective, impartial, neutral and independent civic education that aims to enhance citizens’ informed participation in the electoral process and active engagement in their own governance.
