YOUTH AND ACTUAL LEADERSHIP
TOWARDS A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE YOUTH
The word `youth’ connotes different things to different people. However when the word `youth’ is put in the context of democracy, pluralism and politics then it is important to embrace an inclusive definition. A widely adopted classification of youth is based on age and this varies from 12 - 34 years. This categorization on the basis of age has brought forth the political perspective of youth as a sector that is not yet ripe for political leadership, but on behalf of whom all politicians are morally compelled to speak. The famous Kenyan cliché “the youth are the leaders of tomorrow” embraces this position.
In economic terms one would say that the youth are that unproductive sector of society that constitutes 75% of the total population. This could merely be an economic statement in reference to who the youth are.
Socially, Kenyans regard the youth as trouble makers. This explains the use of all the bad and undesirable epithets normally associated with the youth, uncompromising, drug addicts, intolerant, intrasingent, inexperienced and naive. It therefore becomes notoriously difficult to find a hard and fast answer to the question, who is a youth? A lot of people would be quick to claim that they are youth in response to this question. We therefore wish to pose; when does one cease to be a youth?
In our view one ceases to be a youth when one comes to the bitter realization that one can no longer do certain things because one is no longer a youth. Needless to say the youth are famous for their interesting temperament and unpredictability. This is the only segment of society that can claim some considerable degree of homogenity. Sometimes the youth exhibit an uncompromising stance on matters of principle. This has led to what is generally known as the generation gap. It is true that it is the youth who are hardest hit by severe conditions of unemployment, diseases, crime, low literacy levels etc., and because they are said to constitute 60% of the Kenyan population they have the highest stake in all national affairs both today and tomorrow.
THE ROLE OF THE YOUTH IN SOCIETY
In the traditional set-up it is the elders who governed. Politics was too serious an affair that could not be left for `children’. The youth were expected to dutifully obey the elders who provided leadership. For the youth, leadership was outrightly out of question. This was the domain of the old generation.
The youth were basically supposed to play the role of entertainers and they were supposed to organise dances and songs in praise of the community’s heroes, (mainly older members of the community).
Through these songs, however the youth unknowingly of course, sometimes acted as the conscience of the community. The songs offered a very powerful instrument for praising real heroes and chastising wrong doers. The youth also had the duty of protecting the community from its enemies. They were called upon to provide security in times of war. Owing to the fact that the youth are more energetic, this puts them in the best situation to contribute to the economic welfare of the community. This is especially so in the traditional economy whose mainstay is agriculture. The youth therefore tilled the land and grazed cattle.
Today politics still remains an old generation’s purview. The youth are considered aliens in the political domain. Their attempts to take part meaningfully in politics is frowned upon by the society. It is for this group that all political decisions are made. Unfortunately the youth are never consulted since the old generation think that they know best what is good for the youth.
The main role of the youth therefore in modern politics is to be dutiful and obedient to the older generation and by extension the government of the day. Theirs is a role of foot men/foot women, who implement plans without getting involved in the decision-making and policy formulation.
Their prominent role during and after the struggle for pluralism and multi-party democracy in Kenya’s best downplayed by the sycophancy and warlodism that still exists in their portrayal by the media. The `wingermentality’ in some youth has not helped better the scenario either.
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