ದಿ ಯೂತ್ MOVEMENT ಇನ್ KENYA

THE YOUTH MOVEMENT IN KENYA Due to the existing political dilemma in Kenya, a number of lobbies have come up with an aim of tring to right the situation. Most of the groups are either youth based or defined as perpetuating the youth agenda. Some groups seem to be gaining influence at the grassroots while others that target the middleclass youth have made an impact through the cyber space. Such groups include the following: Bunge la Mwananchi-an independent organic socio-political movement whose majority membership is youth. Formerly based in Nairobi but now has spread to slums and in provincial parts of the country.Bunge la Mwananchi organizes open air fora that focus on topical issues in public parks, markets and other strategic places. The main group meets at the Jeevanjee gardens in Nairobi daily. Their goal is to discuss on how an alternative Kenyan parliament should be. The fora are currently present in over fifty big towns in Kenya including Nairobi, Mombassa, Eldoret, Nakuru, Limuru, Busia, Kisumu, Bungoma, Naivasha among others. Kikuyus for change-A group of youths based in the central province .its members are found in other parts of Kenya. The group tries to alienate itself from the exclusive politics practiced by the older generation from their tribe which has made it create enmity with other Kenyan tribes. Their core-purpose is drive towards unity and co-existence with other Kenyan communities and also strives for the leadership mantle to go the youth. this is because the political leadership in central Kenya has always been dominated by a few individuals and their families. The group intends to work and ensure that every person regardless of his or her economic background can be chosen to lead so long as he or she represents the interests of the people. It is some kind of a resistance movement against the kikuyu plutocracy. Simama Kenya-an initiative of jimmy Kibaki the son of Kenya’s current president mr.mwai Kibaki.its an organization led by jimmy together with Mutito legislator Kiema Kilonzo and political activist Tony gachoka.they claim their intention to be bringing together all the youth from all levels of the economic divide in order to bring about development and exploit all economic potential. Tony Gachoka argues that they want to bring change and the organization welcomes all young people. while jimmy Kibaki admits that he is not a youth, he says that he wants to mobilize the Kenyan youth through this initiative and that he is ding this because he cares for the Kenyan youth with the slogan round hii si mchezo (no jokes this time round).critics say that it’s the conspiracy of the Kenyan oligarchy to retain power through masquerading as the protectors of the youth. The critics say that jimmy Kibaki is an agent of confusion whose aim is to make sure that the real change agitated by various youth groups doesn’t realize the real fruits of their work. The critics believe jimmy is the messenger of the Kenyan ruling class conservatives who believe in political status quo.infact they are discouraging the Kenyan youth from joining this movement claiming that jimmy is trying to ensure president Kibaki’s third term as president through making sure an Uhuru like project wins the 2012 presidential race through ensuring that the youth vote is divided or mobilized to vote for the Kibaki project. National youth convention-an initiative of the youth agenda, a renowned non profit making youth based organization in Kenya. The national youth convention came together through mobilization of young leaders at the grassroots to form a national outfit. The NYC meets yearly to review progress of the previous year resolutions. It’s a donor funded movement whose aim is to ensure the youth take over leadership of this country with a serious reform and ideological agenda. It’s an initiative that operates jointly with another leadership training programme (PLDP) which is also run by the youth agenda. The group ensures a presence through taking part in radio and TV programmes and daily internet interactive sessions through blogging and exchange of ideas through emails. Nyanza youth forum/coalition-It’s a regional based youth movement working on enlightening people especially the youth on the need to elect new and youthful leadership. It also targets other regional based groups whose intention is to ensure new leadership, reform agenda and regional peace in the region of its operation which is the lower Middle Western part of Kenya. National youth council: this group has a special focus on the implementation of the national youth policy to address the problems of unemployment and job creation among the Kenya youth. the group is currently lobbying with various members of parliament and cabinet ministers to pass a bill that will enact formation of the council with the same name to exist within the government youth affairs structure. The group is also focusing on enactment of the new constitution which has special emphasis on youth empowerment and addressing the agenda four as a whole. Kenya Network of Grassroots Organizations (KENGO): This is a group whose platform is based on a coalition of grassroots organizations in different parts of the country. the purpose of this group is coalesce all youth organizations to achieve a common agenda that will drive young people toward attaining good governance and taking charge of their own destiny. Y-10: this is a youth group which am yet to find more details about. They have had several appearances in press conferences asking the government to address the issue of unemployment and condemned the presence of alleged poisonous maize in the country. They have also addressed a number of press conferences calling for the resignation of the prime minister. I surely don’t know their full agenda as for now. National youth movement: an initiative of the national constitution executive council. Its agenda was to mobilize youths to pursue a common agenda in achieves reforms. Its presence at the grassroots is currently limited. National youth parliament: the group worked as a model of what would be a supposed parliament if run by the youth. It used to be active some years back. Nb: the mention groups are the ones whose presence is felt at the grassroots. However other groups which are primarily known to academically enlightened and urban youth do exist. These are groups mainly known to those people who use internet regularly. to name but a few, they include: the new vision group, young Kenyans for change, Kenyans for change, Kenya Voters Alliance(an initiative a group of former university student leaders), citizens against violence, western province young professionals association, bidii Africa among others. These are platforms of sharing ideas among the youth especially those working in offices where the main mode of keeping in touch through communication is through internet via Google or yahoo groups, blogging, or social networks like facebook, my space, twiter or flixter. FWAMBA NC FWAMBA