Kindiki urges leaders to act on youth demands for Kenya’s stability
By Cy Muganda, August 6, 2025Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has called on leaders across the country to not only listen to the concerns of young people but to implement their recommendations, warning that Kenya’s long-term stability depends on how the nation responds to the aspirations of its youth.
Speaking at Pwani University during the Pwani International Youth Week on August 6, 2025, Kindiki stressed that young people have a greater stake in the country’s future than any other demographic, and their voices must be treated as a national priority.
“As we discharge our responsibilities, young people must have their voice heard, but not just their voice being heard. Their input must be put into action, and what they ask us to do should be implemented because they have a bigger stake than all of us in our country’s stability,” Kindiki declared.
Kenya’s future
The Deputy President made a compelling argument for prioritising youth perspectives, warning that when those in leadership positions make poor decisions, it is the youth who bear the heaviest cost, given that they have more years ahead and fewer fallback options.
“Young people have a bigger stake in our country’s stability and progress. Why? Because they have a longer lifespan ahead of them than the older people,” he explained.
“If those of us in responsibility mismanage the country, some of us older folks may still manage the remainder of our lives one way or another. But the young people will have no country, no opportunity, and will have lost their lifetime,” he added.
Demand accountability
Kindiki emphasised that Kenya’s youth have every right to demand accountability from their leaders, particularly on decisions that will impact their future.
“Young people have a right to demand that the right decisions be made for the country currently and decisions that have an implication on the future,” he stated.
He also challenged the prevailing narratives that often frame the youth as a problem, insisting that they are, instead, the country’s greatest asset.
“We do not see young people as a burden or as a crisis. Young people are a resource, an opportunity and an investment for Kenya and for our country now and tomorrow,” he said, echoing sentiments expressed by other speakers at the event.