he IEBC’s current drive has specifically targeted youth, especially those who are just turning 18. With innovations like iris and fingerprint scanning, digital data entry, and the ability to register at Huduma Centers, the process has been made faster and more convenient.
Yet, while many unregistered voters are lining up, conversations on social media reveal a different reality: that is, registration does not mean conviction. Many Gen Zs state that broken promises, corruption scandals, and unfulfilled political manifestos are reasons they are hesitant to throw their weight behind political leaders.
“Kenyans have zero motivation to register as voters because they feel leaders don’t fulfill promises,” reads a post on X.
For young Kenyans, politics often feels like a cycle of recycled faces and promises, making it difficult to connect with any single candidate or party. Gen Zs are a generation that demands results from their leaders. Unlike previous generations, Gen Z voters are less swayed by ethnic ties and more influenced by authenticity and transparency.
Gen Z and millennials combined form the largest number of potential voters in the country, with nearly 70% of Kenya’s population under 35 years old. Their undecided stance is both a warning and an opportunity. As IEBC drives registration, will political leaders rise to the challenge of winning over a generation that refuses to be taken for granted?
By Joan Kiruri
