East Africa

East Africa is currently experiencing a “youth bulge” with more than 70 percent of its population under 30, yet political parties in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda remain largely controlled by an aging political elite that has not yet fully engaged young people as political actors. With increasingly sophisticated patriarchal political parties in Kenya and the advent of the grand coalition power sharing agreement, the re-emergence of multiparty politics in Uganda, and ongoing civil and political unrest stemming from growing tensions between mainland Tanganyika and the islands of Zanzibar in Tanzania, it is increasingly important to provide young leaders – especially women who are too often excluded from leadership opportunities – with the skills and competencies necessary to take on roles of greater substance and responsibility within their parties.

Currently, older activists and senior party officials do not typically recognize the potential of their youth members or take their opinions seriously. If not incorporated adequately into the political landscape, youth may be more likely to commit acts of violence and provoke ethnic hostilities as occurred in the wake of Kenya’s botched 2007 elections.

In cooperation with NDI (National Democratic Institute), KIC is supporting a regional East
African program called the RYPLA (Regional Young Political Leadership Academy). This is an extension of the former NDI/KIC cooperation in Kenya. In 2008, the two organisations decided to lift the successful Kenyan program to the regional level, so as to provide the opportunity not only for Kenyan, but also for Ugandan and Tanzanian youth to participate.

Participants represent all the major party youth leagues in the three countries. The program covers training in areas such as democratic organisation, campaigning, gender and communication.