Mombasa youth have threatened to hold peaceful demonstrations if the government will not release exact, confirmed dates for the National Youth Council elections that were due in February.
Speaking at the Ajenda Kenya offices in Mombasa, the youth drawn from different groups under the Coast Civil Society Network for Human Rights, Youth Thematic area, said despite repeated calls for clarity on the dates, the Ministry of Youth Affairs has yet to provide a new timeline or give a clear roadmap for rescheduling the elections.
This comes barely five days after Youth Affairs CS Salim Mvurya said the elections will be held in due course.
“While we acknowledge the Cabinet Secretary Hon. Salim Mvurya’s recent statement that the elections ‘will be held,’ the absence of specific dates and a defined plan is both dismissive and inadequate,” said Dreda Odiwuor, Program Manager at Ajenda Kenya and Convener, Youth Thematic area.
Speaking in Wote, Makueni County during the WAZO Regional Youth Forum that was held last week, CS Mvurya said the ministry will give a date once the government acquires resources needed for the elections.
“The National Youth elections agenda, we will see that in due course. We have already decided we will do national youth elections and therefore there is no need for people to announce themselves as interim because that decision has to be followed through the required legal framework,” said CS Mvurya.
Meanwhile, the youth have said talks of legal framework only added to the confusion. What they needed was clarity and a firm commitment to action.
“The youths across the country remain ready and eager to participate in leadership and governance processes but the ministry’s continued silence and inaction only erode young people’s trust and signals that youth participation is not being taken seriously,” said Dreda Odiwuor.
Apart from the release of exact dates, the youth also demanded regular and public updates from the NYC Secretariat detailing progress towards elections and steps being taken.
“We demand a broader review of the ministry’s youth programs and leadership, given the ongoing communication breakdowns and stalled initiatives or else we organise youth to occupy the office,” they demanded.
The group of youth also questioned the CS statement that the government was looking for resources for the elections.
“The elections were to be held on 17th February, and they would not have released a final date if there were no resources. So what we are asking is, where did that money go?” Posed Omar Ndegwa from Her Narrative.
“We also demand a formal apology from the NYC CEO Gloria Wawira for failing to respond to legitimate concerns by young people or resign and let young people occupy the office,” he added.
According to the group, the delay is a disservice to the millions of young people who deserve competent, representative leadership.
They also want community sensitisation be done, not only on the NYC elections but also its roles and mandate.
“During the general elections, IEBC carries out community sensitisation, but why is it that in the NYC elections no sensitisation is done? Why is it not communicated to us in good time? Some do not even know what NYC is. Do we have any budget allocations for NYC? Questioned Elizabeth Bahati from Help a Brother and a Dada.
The Youth Affairs CS is expected in Kwale on Thursday for the WAZO Regional Youth Forum.