WYDE Civic Engagement Accountability Hubs

WYDE Civic Engagement Accountability Hubs is led by the Kofi Annan Foundation, The Oslo Center and
Westminster Foundation for Democracy. Accountability Hubs brings together young leaders from across
Sub-Saharan Africa in a comprehensive training and networking program to enhance their skills in good
governance and democratic leadership, financial and political accountability, project management and
advocacy, and to develop their own projects (“pilot actions”) to put their ideas into practice in their
countries and communities with dedicated seed grants.

WEZESHA VIJANA KUONGOZA INNITIATIVE

Empowering the next generation of Kenyan leaders with skills in political accountability, democratic
leadership and good governance with deep focus on cost of politics in Kenya and the campaign financing
framework so as to push for better governance and more inclusive stable society.

The challenge
Today, pressure is mounting on democracy, the rule of law and human rights in Kenya.

With 34.74% of the Kenyan population being between the age of 15-34 by 202 as per the NCPD policy
brief No.56 of June 2017, continued push for good governance and democracy is highly dependent on
the engagement of young people.

However, youths particularly those from marginalized communities, underserved regions, continue to
be systematically underrepresented in public affairs including in; County Assemblies of Bomet, Kericho
and Nakuru, parliament; both the National Assembly and the Senate; political parties and in other
sectors.

Economic barriers to maximum participation of young people in elective politics is exacerbated by high
cost of campaigns in Kenya, lack of information about democratic processes amongst other factors.
According to the study by Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy and WFD published in July
2021, the expenditure of individuals who contested for the senate, National Assembly and County
Assembly in 2017, findings from informant groups and survey of 300 aspirants, it cost an average of Ksh
35.5M to contest for senate seat, Woman representative spent Ksh 22.8M, Members of National
Assembly Ksh 18.2M while Member of County Assembly spent Ksh 3.1M. These costs are raised from
individual personal account with only 20% of survey respondents receiving funding from sponsoring
political party.

It is therefore essential to engage youth aspirants of 2022 elections who vied and lost and those with
interest in vying in 2027 general elections within Bomet County, Kericho County and Nakuru County,
with an aim to capacity-build them on ways to alleviate voter bribery and sponsored rigging during
election as elements of costly politics in Kenya.

Background
To address the challenge of high cost of politics in Kenya and with keen focus in the three
aforementioned counties, Kofi Annan Foundation jointly with Westminster Foundation for Democracy
and the Oslo Center as members of the European partnership for Democracy, devised an accountability
hub under the WYDE Civic Engagement program (Women and Youth in Democracy), so as to improve
the inclusion of youths in democratic processes and decision making in Sub-Saharan Africa.

It is therefore within the backdrop of WYDE Civic Engagement, that the Wezesha Vijana Kuongoza
initiave, introduces a tailored support training program for empowering young political aspirants so as
to enhance their skills on good governance and ethical leadership, political accountability and
democratic leadership, Digital Governance and Safety. As part of the training, young aspirants shall have
an immersive review of the campaign financing framework in Kenya with an aim to point out
recommendations on how existing legal and administrative frameworks can be further strengthened to
cut costly politics within the three counties. Innovative solutions shall be developed on fundraising
strategies for campaign resources, awareness creation on the effects of big monies given in form of
bribes in Kenyan campaigns as well as the need to tighten the nuts on the enforcement of the Campaign
Financing Act.

Overview
Wezesha vijana Kuongoza initiative aims to train up-to 60 young aspirants from Bomet county (20
participants), Nakuru county (20 participants) and Kericho county (20 participants) with structured
workshops to be done in each of the three counties. Experts in the different themes of the workshop
and government officials from the national and county governments shall make part of the trainers so as
to give the conference an enhanced perspective.

Young aspirants aged (18-35) can apply to participate in the workshop by submitting these details to
wezeshav@gmail.com by 15th of July 2024 :

Personal details to include; Name and Age, Identification ID/Passport Number

General details to include; Level of education, profession/occupation if any, Position contested for in
the last elections/aiming to contest for in future.

Background details; Ward, Sub-county then County.

Contact details; Email, Phone Number and if any, the links to social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook,
Instagram, Tiktok, Linkedin etc).

Official invitation shall be send to all the selected participants by 20th of July 2024 via email.