A wave of youth activism is rising in Kisumu as young people from Obunga slums intensify pressure on Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, the Creating Economy and Sports, Salim Mvurya, to announce the long-overdue National Youth Council (NYC) elections.
The protest is led by members of The Dawn, a grassroots youth movement based in Obunga, who accuse the Ministry of sidelining the youth agenda. According to Steve Okello, a vocal member of the group, the delay in setting the election date originally scheduled for March has crippled youth organizing across the country.
“The elections were scheduled for March this year. It is now overdue and up to now there are no signs, nobody is giving directions,” said Okello.
“This silence signals abandonment. Our space as young people is vanishing.”
Frustrations mounted further as Caleb Okwiri, another member of the group, openly called for the resignation of CS Mvurya and NYC CEO Gloria Wawira, accusing them of gross inaction and lack of accountability.
“This is the third time we are raising our voices. Without action, we can now tell President Ruto he misstepped in appointing Mvurya to the youth docket,” Okwiri stated.
He also alleged that several youth advocates pushing for the NYC elections have received threats, an indication, he says, of state intimidation.
“Demanding accountability is a constitutional right. Issuing threats violates the very constitution we seek to defend,” he added.
The group is now calling on President William Ruto to intervene directly, warning that failure to act will leave them no option but to pursue legal redress. They demand radical reforms within the Ministry and clear action to safeguard youth representation.
Additional grievances emerged regarding systemic frustrations faced by youth seeking national identity cards, with claims of bribery and bureaucratic bottlenecks.
While welcoming the appointment of Principal Secretary Fikirini Jacobs as a youthful face in the Ministry, the group expressed disappointment in his perceived casual engagement with the crisis.
“The PS seems to have reduced this issue to casual Facebook posts instead of formal communication. That is not leadership,” Okwiri said.
In their demands, the youth have issued a firm deadline: the Ministry must publish the NYC election date by 21st June. They also insist the NYC begin issuing monthly national updates on youth access to identification cards and related services, in coordination with the registrar of persons.
The youth-led pressure movement signals growing unrest over youth inclusion in governance and accountability in a country where over 70% of the population is under the age of 35.
