The latest African Youth Survey 2026 paints a picture of a generation that remains firmly committed to democracy but increasingly worried about unemployment, the economy and their place in the country’s future.
While most young people want to shape Kenya through elections and greater political participation, many are also willing to embrace more confrontational forms of activism if change fails to materialise.
The survey, conducted by the Ichikowitz Family Foundation and PSB Insights among 4,901 respondents aged between 18 and 24 across 16 African countries, including about 300 face-to-face interviews in Kenya.
It found that employment has overtaken every other issue as the country’s most pressing concern.
Seven in every 10 Kenyan respondents identified unemployment and poverty as the biggest threat to safety within their communities, the highest proportion recorded among all countries surveyed.
An identical 70 per cent said creating jobs for young people should be the government’s top priority for improving security.
The findings come against the backdrop of persistent youth unemployment in Kenya, where official data shows thousands of graduates join the labour market every year while formal job creation continues to lag.
The informal sector remains the largest employer, accounting for more than 80 per cent of new jobs created annually, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.
The survey also reflects widespread dissatisfaction with the country’s economic trajectory.
Four out of five respondents, or 80 per cent, believe Kenya is moving in the wrong direction, while 79 per cent say the national economy is headed the wrong way.
Another 70 per cent feel Africa as a whole is on the wrong path.
Despite the bleak economic outlook, young Kenyans remain remarkably optimistic about democratic governance.
An overwhelming 81 per cent said democracy is always preferable to any other form of government, placing Kenya among Africa’s strongest supporters of democratic rule.
At the same time, 76 per cent believe their voices matter to national leaders, suggesting that many young people still see value in civic participation.
However, the survey also exposes growing impatience with the pace of political change.
About 66 per cent said they support non-peaceful protests and other actions to bring about political change, underscoring lingering frustrations that have fuelled youth-led demonstrations in recent years.
The desire for generational change in leadership is equally striking.
Nearly all respondents, at 96 per cent, said they would be more likely to vote for a political party that fields more young candidates, while 86 per cent believe too few young people occupy leadership positions in government.
Ichikowitz Family Foundation founder Ivor Ichikowitz said the findings present policymakers with a practical roadmap.
“Youth are connecting Kenya’s future to work, enterprise and economic security,” he said.
He adds that governments and businesses must expand opportunities for meaningful employment while creating pathways for greater youth participation in leadership.
The survey also highlights how global geopolitics is increasingly shaping the views of Kenya’s younger generation.
Kenya recorded the strongest perception of Chinese influence among all countries surveyed.
Some 94 per cent of respondents said China has significant influence in Kenya, while 96 per cent of those respondents viewed that influence positively.
The favourable perception reflects China’s expanding footprint in Kenya over the past two decades through trade, infrastructure financing and investment.
China remains Kenya’s largest source of imports, with goods worth about Sh671.2 billion entering the country in 2025, while Kenyan exports to China stood at just Sh16.9 billion, leaving a record trade deficit exceeding Sh654 billion.
Both countries are now pursuing a zero-tariff trade framework aimed at expanding Kenyan exports such as tea, coffee, avocados and macadamia nuts into the Chinese market.
Beyond trade, Beijing remains Kenya’s largest bilateral lender.
Treasury data shows Kenya owed China about Sh628.7 billion by the end of December 2025, largely tied to financing for flagship infrastructure projects including the Standard Gauge Railway, major highways and energy developments.
More recently, Kenya restructured part of its Chinese railway debt into yuan, a move expected to reduce annual debt-servicing costs significantly.
President William Ruto’s 2025 state visit to Beijing further strengthened ties, resulting in more than 20 agreements covering transport, agriculture, ICT, healthcare and the planned extension of the Standard Gauge Railway alongside expansion of several strategic highways.
By contrast, the survey suggests the United States’ influence is waning.
Although 87 per cent of respondents still recognise American influence in Kenya, nearly two-thirds or 63 per cent believe the scaling back of USAID operations will negatively affect the country.
Three-quarters identified healthcare and disease prevention as the sectors likely to suffer the biggest impact.
The survey also reveals a generation increasingly conscious of global instability.
Some 87 per cent of Kenyan respondents believe the world is becoming more divided and dangerous the highest level among all 16 participating countries.
“Taken together, the findings portray a generation that is not disengaged from politics but demanding tangible results,’’ Ichikowitz concludes.
