In South Africa, 14-year-olds can join the ANC Youth League. In the United Kingdom, teenagers can become members of political parties long before they finish high school. In Kenya, however, no one can join a political party until they turn 18, by which time many have already learned to distrust politics.
The Political Parties Act of 2011 limits party membership to citizens aged 18 and above. While this aligns with the voting age, it overlooks a fundamental truth: political learning begins long before political participation. By locking out teenagers, Kenya denies them a chance to engage with national politics at the very stage when they are forming their civic identities.
Political socialisation theory suggests that values and attitudes toward leadership, fairness, and governance develop during adolescence. By 18, many young people already hold opinions shaped more by family, peers and social media than by civic education. If we want informed citizens rather than cynical voters, learning must start early. According to the 2019 Census, 75 per cent of Kenya’s population is under 35, and 40 per cent is under 15. This means millions of politically aware, socially active young people are legally barred from organised political engagement.
As the 2027 elections draw closer, the urgency becomes clear. Political parties are busy courting the youth vote, mostly through catchy slogans and online campaigns. Yet this engagement is often shallow. Even 16-year-olds today, many still in school, will be first-time voters in 2027. If we want them to vote based on ideas rather than personalities, political education must begin before their first voter’s card.
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Kenya’s Gen Z has already shown boldness and creativity. From climate activism to digital campaigns, they have demonstrated passion and purpose. But passion without grounding can fade or be misdirected. Without understanding how institutions function or how policies are shaped, activism risks becoming emotional rather than effective. Allowing adolescents to engage with political parties in structured, educational ways would channel their energy into meaningful participation.
Early engagement would also help demystify politics, which for many young Kenyans feels distant, corrupt or intimidating. If young people are exposed to parties that prioritise ideas and accountability, they are more likely to grow into citizens who demand integrity and reject divisive politics. This kind of early mentorship could slowly rebuild public trust in political institutions and reduce voter apathy among the youth, a growing concern in every election cycle.
The Competency-Based Education already trusts teenagers to study complex issues such as sexuality education, environmental conservation and entrepreneurship. If schools can teach these, they can also teach politics, the system that influences public life.
Keeping politics off-limits creates contradictions. Teenagers are told to care about the environment but not environmental policy, to value democracy but not learn how political parties function, to speak against graft but not organise for reform. Civic awareness cannot grow without political understanding. Still, the problem is not just legal; it is structural. Many Kenyan political parties revolve around individuals instead of ideas. They serve short-term ambitions rather than long-term national goals. To attract and nurture young minds, parties must evolve into institutions driven by values and vision.
Youth chapters, mentorship programmes and civic education initiatives within parties would create pathways for responsible political growth. Teenagers who engage early would become informed voters and thoughtful leaders, not blind followers. Allowing under-18s to join political parties means trusting Kenya’s young people with the tools of democracy before expecting them to use those tools wisely.
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By Wanja Maina