Youth Leaders Applaud Ksh.165 Million NYC Poll Budget, Urge Full Participation
The Youth Leaders Association–Kenya (YLA-K) has welcomed the Cabinet’s decision to allocate Ksh. 165 million for the long-awaited National Youth Council (NYC) elections. In a press statement read by the association’s Deputy National Chairperson, Mbugua Wanyoike, the group extended its gratitude to the Government of Kenya and President Dr. William Ruto for approving the funding through the State Department for Youth Affairs and the Creative Economy.
According to the statement, the Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, H.E. Salim Mvurya, made the announcement just a month after YLA-K’s National Steering Committee formally petitioned the Executive Office of the President, seeking the government’s commitment to facilitate the NYC elections.
The request, dated June 18, 2025, appears to have received swift action an indication, the group says, of the administration’s genuine interest in advancing youth inclusion in governance.
“This allocation is more than a budgetary approval it is a milestone in the journey towards strengthening youth representation and democratic engagement in Kenya,” said Wanyoike. “We thank the government for its timely response, which shows a clear commitment to promoting youth participation in national development.”
The NYC elections are anchored in the National Youth Council Act, 2009. Specifically, Section 5 (1)(g) and (h) stipulates that the Council shall comprise 16 youth representatives elected from across Kenya’s 47 counties.
These individuals will then be appointed by the Cabinet Secretary responsible for youth affairs. YLA-K noted that these provisions are crucial in institutionalizing youth voices within national policy and decision-making platforms.
The association pledged its full support and participation in the election process, affirming that it would collaborate with state agencies to raise awareness and mobilize youth countrywide.
“This is not just a civic process but a democratic right,” added Wanyoike. “We believe this election will shape the future of youth policy, advocacy, and leadership in Kenya.”
YLA-K is now calling on young people in all 47 counties to seize this opportunity, organize constructively, and elect leaders who are accountable, visionary, and committed to advancing the interests of Kenya’s youth.
The NYC elections are expected to provide a significant platform for young people to influence national discourse and policy, reinforcing the role of youth as key partners in Kenya’s development agenda.
