A group of young people in Mombasa county has launched a governance and oversight model to spearhead a campaign on good governance, integrity and a youth voter registration exercise. The initiative will involve young people in Nyali Constituency at the ward level. The youth in Shauri Yako, Nyali sub-county, turned up in large numbers to witness the launch of the Vijanaaz Governance Garage, which they hope to use to amplify their voices on several issues bedevilling them, among them drugs, unemployment, and corruption. What is Vijanaaz Governance Garage? The majority of youth at the garage who took part in the Gen Z protests are planning to use the model domiciled at the ward level as an alternative venue to expound the good governance agenda.
According to the executive director of Centre for Resilience and Sustainable Africa, Mary Maina, the garage dialogue model is key in ensuring youths are heard and fully participate in transforming Mombasa county politically, socially and economically. Speaking at Maweni area in Nyali, sub-county, Mkomani ward during the launch, on Monday, September 29, the young people vowed not to lose hope but to join the war on corruption and play a role in calling out leaders with questionable integrity issues for better governance of the country and all 47 county governments. Some of the young people who spoke to TUKO.co.ke vowed to create solutions to their problems, among them a champion for good governance, advocate for a corruption-free society and good youth-led empowerment initiatives. “When we talk about value leadership, we mean leadership with good integrity, and leadership that values the young people’s contribution,” said Maina.
In the governance garage model, youth will pass their voice through different forms like music, art and dialogue. “We know youth have lost hope with leadership, but all is not lost; we have hope for change, we are asking them to register as voters so that they can participate in the polls in 2027,” Maina added. What challenges are Kenyan youth facing? The youth also challenged the national and county governments to address challenges facing the nation, such as unemployment, equity, corruption and tough economic times. Fauzia Kassim, one of the youths, called on fellow youths to mobilise themselves to register as voters as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) kicked off the mass registration exercise, ensuring their voices are heard come the 2027 elections. The initiative seeks to ensure issues facing the youth are addressed. “We are asking the youth to come out and register as voters so that they can participate in the election and put good leadership in place,” Kassim said.
“We have decided to come together as youth to speak for ourselves. We want to deal with our problems head-on by standing out to create solutions by ourselves. Youth have been neglected, and this must stop,” added Obura Evans, a youth from the Mkomani area. Obura, a musician, said that as the political season ahead of 2027 approaches, they must register as voters and participate in the elections to install good leadership.
By Joshua Cheloti, Harrison Kivisu
