Niko Kadi : Youths are beyond Hard "political" Labour

Lung'afa and his friends at his home for a Mbuzi moment; 4th January 2026.

Youthhood is sung as a wonderful flower in spring blossom. The young look up to youthhood and the old never cease to cherish the memories of their youthly days. Why then would the society today interpret youthhood as laboring and nothing but it when old age is defined by how one utilized their youthhood? 

Well, laboring is not bad and it is the basis to life sustenance, where young people should gladly court it and work enough to support others and sustain their less energetic times ahead. But that is not what is happening. We are witnessing little pay, grounding work, political jobs and generally a killing of young people’s dreams. 

In the nature of things its prime is when all faculties are at their peak performance. Before the modern civilization, young morans lived and laughed freely, learning the ways of the tribe and creating their own legacies. None was above another, the age-set secured all. But not today.

President Ruto has it that the government’s roll-out of Affordable Housing Scheme, Markets Construction, Stadiums and Railway puts youths to work hence youth employment. It would be different if young people worked for country or had it that their service defined their age – but with these jobs they work FOR government. There is no social contract whatsoever but they on use for today.

And why would young people be put to such trauma? One, construction today is a machine job. It is not 1890’s when the lowest of Indian caste was sent to East Africa to work on the railway. The many ladies going to Gulf in the name of government opportunities abroad is a kin to paid slavery. In denial, the republic is ready to stop use of machines so that more hands are abused or used to churn mortar and carry it from point A to B. 

Born in poverty, boys and girls get to youthhood with little hope but to survive, humble enough to be ordered here and there. Construction sites are slavish at most with orders coming from above, with the body forced to outputs. For those who have been there know of the foul language at display. 

President Ruto in one of the site visits for Boma Yangu Government Housing Initiative. It is not in the author's understanding that the youths in the picture are happily employed and their lives being fulfilled; but momentarily joyed that they have a greeting with the President.

To celebrate this is a mockery to the golden youthful stage. It is also to hide the unfairness that goes on  behind the scenes; corruption, tribalism and general employment of mediocrity over merit. If some youths benefit from this, it is sad that they are not being helped either; for nature sooner equalizes. 

Funny that the youths compose more than 70% of the population but led and contained by the few oldies in top leadership speaks but to the inequality of democracies and sometimes the shortcomings of traditions. In June 2024 at the storming of Kenyan Parliament the GenZ’s wanted it different and the blood of those shot speaks of freeing the youth.

Youthhood, I have come to learn, is the stage of self-exploration; to seek knowledge and develop an interest in a certain field. To be free to choose what you want and to live in a fair society that rewards merit and creates opportunities for all. This is the time to explore ones environment and rove the world – there will be no other stage in life for the risk. 

Youths are able to revolutionize livelihoods and throw the empty labouring away. In the new voter registration campaign and slogan, ''Niko Kadi", youths should open their eyes wide and check on wrong attitude there could be by and for them. Facebook and many other innovations of today are youth-founded – all to easen life, increase information and knowledge capacities; to make us free and just beings: not to be tasked or measured with little.