Kenya is set to undertake a targeted review on youth issues under the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), a process expected to shape future policies on youth employment, participation, and inclusive governance.
The APRM, an African Union institution, promotes good governance through independent assessments and peer reviews at the level of Heads of State and Government.
The initiative follows a request by President William Ruto to the African Union (AU) for support in conducting the review within the APRM framework.
The targeted review aims to deepen understanding of Kenyan youths’ lived realities, grievances, and aspirations to generate actionable governance and policy responses.
On January 29, a delegation from the APRM Continental Office, led by Chief Executive Officer Amb. Marie-Antoinette Rose Quatre, visited Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi in Nairobi.
Mudavadi said, “The government fully supports this review and is committed to implementing its findings through concrete policy, legislative, and institutional reforms.”
The move reflects recognition that youth-related challenges require objective, inclusive, and credible engagement with stakeholders.
Amb. Quatre observed, “Kenya’s decision to undertake this targeted review demonstrates strong political will toward youth empowerment and reinforces African-led accountability mechanisms.”
She commended Kenya’s leadership in the APRM and AU, describing the country as “a reference point for people-centred governance reforms.”
She emphasised that the review is participatory and inclusive, with young people as the central stakeholder group.
“Through consultations with state and non-state actors, county-level engagements, interviews, and focus group discussions, the review aims to capture the diversity of youth experiences across the country,” Quatre noted.
A data-collection toolkit has been developed and validated by stakeholders to ensure voices from rural communities, informal settlements, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized groups are meaningfully represented.
“This approach aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which envisions young people as key drivers of national and continental transformation,” she added.
The review will also explore opportunities to regulate digital platforms to achieve positive governance outcomes while safeguarding youth-led innovation in advocacy, civic participation, and engagement.
“We are looking at ways to strengthen digital civic engagement while protecting innovation among young people,” Quatre said.
The final report will undergo stakeholder validation before submission to the Government of Kenya and eventual presentation at the AU Summit.
Its recommendations are expected to inform policy reforms, programme design, and governance frameworks, including potential youth governance innovation hubs, county-level youth observatories, digital civic education portals, and enhanced mechanisms for youth engagement in governance.
By Anita Omwenga
