By Michael Wamalwa, Student at Kenyatta University

Members of the National Assembly should draft a bill to amend Article 137 of the Constitution, which outlines the qualifications and disqualifications for election as President.

Legislators should lower the age bracket that requires a candidate to be at least 35 years old.

For a long time, Generation Z has been considered stupid and disconnected from political affairs.

However, Gen Z has proved that they can champion revolution and change the political discourse of this country.

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta and President William Ruto rode on the excuse of being young to campaign against Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Nonetheless, the two have failed to address the issues affecting the youth.

Presidential Age Limit

President Ruto has gone to the extent of angering and forcing them to take to the streets to express their frustrations.

Only a youthful President can address the issues affecting the youth and take them seriously.

For this reason, the 35-year age requirement is a stumbling block and should be done away with immediately to give room for youth to contest for the top seat.

Also Read: What It Takes to Run Aganist Ruto in the 2027 Presidential Race

In Kenya, the age bracket for being classified as a youth is defined as individuals aged between 18 and 35 years.

The 35-year requirement, therefore, clearly means that a youth cannot lead this country, giving room for the old politicians who contributed to the mess we are currently experiencing.

Kenya has a youthful population, with over 80 percent of the population aged 35 years and below.

This literally means that we don’t have a country if the current youth is not properly nurtured, made vibrant, and useful to the community.

The Global Youth Development Index ranks Kenya as a “low youth development” country, 139th out of 181 countries.

Reports by the Government of Kenya in 2023 reveal that youth unemployment is almost four times the national rate, despite strategies in Kenya Vision 2030 and successive five-year plans with goals for youth employment and annual targets for job creation.

To make it worse, the few who are employed are paid peanuts, as low as Ksh10,000 a month. What can you do with that amount, especially in Nairobi?

Others are earning as low as Ksh30,000 but pay taxes and deductions going as high as Ksh5,500.

Instead of addressing these problems, the government of the day is busy chest-thumping and forcing the people to pay more and more taxes.

MPs Must Lower the Minimum Age Bracket to 18 years

President Ruto is also preoccupied with foreign trips and planning for his 2027 re-election campaign.

Also Read: Why Being Right Has Never Won an Election in Kenya

They say, “Use a thief to catch another.” Birds of the same feather also flock together. To help Gen Z, we must have a Gen Z President or at least a deputy president.

Just as the upper age limit was removed, the MPs must lower the minimum age bracket to 18 years.

If a Kenyan is qualified to vote, they should also be free to vie for any seat as long as they meet the other requirements.

Gen Zs are educated, think critically, and might have better strategies to move the country forward.

We are in a digital era, with Artificial Intelligence taking over the world. We need a digital President to cope with the changes and provide realistic solutions to the issues raised by the youth.

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IEBC Headquarters in Malindi. PHOTO/ IEBC.