Youth Demand Greater Role in Governance, Digital Economy as National Convening Calls for Inclusive Leadership.
By Fride Amiani
NAIROBI, Kenya, September 25, 2026 — Young people have called for greater and continuous participation in governance, policy development and decision-making, saying their role should extend beyond being mobilised during elections to actively shaping the country's present and future.
The youth made the call during the 4th National Youth Convening held on Friday, September 25, 2026, at CLC-Ufungamano House in Nairobi, under the theme “Claim Space, Shaping Kenya.”
The gathering brought together young people and stakeholders to deliberate on governance, civic participation, livelihoods, technology and innovation, with participants calling for inclusive leadership, accountability and expanded opportunities for youth engagement.
Speaking during the convening, National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) General Secretary Rev. Canon Chris Kinyanjui said young people should be recognised as citizens, innovators, entrepreneurs and active partners in shaping Kenya's development agenda.
He emphasised that youth participation must be meaningful and continuous, extending from grassroots communities to national decision-making platforms.
Kinyanjui said young people should have opportunities to contribute to policy development, public participation, leadership and oversight, rather than being confined to political mobilisation during election periods.
“We envision a Kenya where governance is inclusive, accountable, transparent, responsive and citizen-centred,” he said.
He further underscored the importance of leadership that listens to citizens, upholds integrity and constitutional values, and remains accountable for decisions and the utilisation of public resources.
According to Kinyanjui, effective governance requires leaders who recognise citizens as active participants in democratic processes and remain answerable for their actions.
He urged young people to remain informed and engaged in governance processes while demanding transparency and accountability from public institutions.
“Meaningful governance requires citizens who are informed, engaged and willing to demand accountability,” he said.
The NCCK official noted that young people had a responsibility to participate constructively in governance by understanding public affairs, engaging in decision-making processes and holding leaders accountable.
The convening also called for peaceful, informed and issue-based political participation as Kenya approaches another electoral cycle, while rejecting misinformation, disinformation, political manipulation and ethnic mobilisation.
Participants emphasised the importance of encouraging young people to engage in political processes responsibly and make decisions informed by issues affecting their communities and the country.
The discussions also examined the relationship between technology, entrepreneurship and economic empowerment, with youth peacebuilding advocate Clare Njagi highlighting the growing influence of digital innovation on young people's lives.
Njagi said technology was increasingly becoming part of how young people live, learn, work, communicate and create opportunities, but cautioned that access to digital tools alone was insufficient to guarantee economic advancement.
“Access to technology is not automatically access to opportunity,” she said.
She observed that young people continued to face significant barriers, including the high cost of digital devices and internet connectivity, unreliable electricity, limited digital skills, inadequate mentorship, lack of capital, certification challenges and restricted access to markets and professional networks.
Njagi said these challenges limited the ability of young people to translate their digital knowledge and entrepreneurial ideas into sustainable businesses.
She called for deliberate interventions to help young people move beyond daily hustles and establish enterprises capable of growing, creating employment and contributing to economic development.
The convening's communiqué identified several challenges confronting youth-led businesses, including cash flow constraints, customer retention, competition, taxation, record keeping, registration, licensing and operational costs.
It further called for improved access to mentorship, financing, partnerships and networks to strengthen youth entrepreneurship and enable emerging businesses to overcome operational difficulties.
Participants noted that addressing these challenges required coordinated efforts from government, the private sector, civil society, faith institutions and development partners.
The discussions also explored the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI), with young people welcoming emerging technologies while emphasising the importance of human judgment, creativity and responsibility.
The communiqué raised concerns over data privacy, digital safety, misinformation, errors in AI-generated information, child protection and excessive dependence on technology.
Participants called on young people to continuously develop their digital skills as technology evolves, while advocating for responsible innovation that protects users and promotes inclusion.
Njagi further stressed the need to ensure technology expands opportunities rather than deepening existing inequalities.
“We want technology to expand opportunity, not deepen exclusion,” she said.
She called for affordable digital infrastructure, skills development, financing, mentorship, professional networks and improved access to markets to enable young people to participate meaningfully in the digital economy.
Beyond governance and economic empowerment, the convening highlighted the broader social and personal challenges affecting young people.
The communiqué identified unemployment, rising living costs, financial pressure, repeated rejection, relationship difficulties and social expectations as some of the issues confronting the youth.
Participants called for stronger support systems, safe spaces for honest conversations, appropriate professional care and livelihood approaches that address the whole person.
They emphasised the importance of creating environments where young people can access guidance, mentorship and practical support as they navigate personal, social and economic challenges.
The gathering called on the government, private sector, civil society, faith institutions, development partners and other stakeholders to invest in systems that can help young people transform their ideas and skills into sustainable opportunities.
The participants maintained that youth empowerment should go beyond recognising young people during public engagements and instead involve creating structures that support their participation, innovation and economic independence.
The convening concluded with renewed calls for inclusive governance, responsible technology use, entrepreneurship support and meaningful youth participation in shaping Kenya's development agenda.
Participants stressed that building an inclusive and accountable society requires sustained collaboration between young people and institutions responsible for governance, economic development and social transformation.
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