Governance
The Future Is Local: How Young Professionals Can Shape Africa ' s Policy Agenda
By Lim Hazel
Africa stands at a demographic crossroads. The average African being age 19, Africa will be home to one-third of the world’ s youth by 2050. This youthful energy is often seen as a ticking time bomb or a development dividend waiting to be harnessed. But as national governments grapple with economic challenges, rising debt, and political inertia, young professionals must ask themselves: where can they have the most meaningful impact?
The answer may not lie in the gleaming offices of national ministries or the boardrooms of global development agencies. It lies closer to home- at the ward offices, county assemblies, and community halls where real, tangible decisions affecting people ' s daily lives are made. This article explores how young professionals in Kenya, and across Africa, can shape the continent’ s policy agenda by turning their focus to local governance.
The Power of the Local: More Than Service Delivery
In Kenya, the 2010 Constitution ushered in a new era of devolution, transferring significant powers and resources from the national government to 47 county governments. This change wasn’ t just about decentralizing service delivery; it was about deepening democracy, promoting equity, and enhancing citizen participation.
Yet, despite this shift, many young professionals continue to aspire solely toward roles in Nairobi or abroad, overlooking the enormous potential to influence policy at the local level. Averagely, Counties manage about 15- 35 % of the national budget( depending on the year), with responsibilities spanning health, agriculture, trade, early childhood education, and urban planning.
These are not minor tasks. When a county decides how to allocate its health budget or where to build a market, it is making policy. And it is at this level that young professionals can make their mark; whether by advising county executives, participating in public forums, or engaging through civil society organizations. Why Youth Avoid Local Engagement
There are several reasons for this disconnect. First, local politics is often perceived as dirty, patronage-based, and slow-moving. Second, many youth lack awareness of local processes or feel excluded from county decision-making. Third, prestige and career growth are often associated with national or international exposure.
But these assumptions are increasingly outdated. A new generation of county leaders- governors, CECs( County Executive Committee members), and MCAs( Members of County Assembly)- are seeking technocratic talent and youthful energy to help them implement complex development plans. Moreover, civil society and private sector actors are becoming more active in budget tracking, policy analysis, and service delivery at the local level.
How Young Professionals Can Influence Local Policy
Participating in Budget Processes
When young professionals innovate locally; whether through health financing reforms, digitization, or participatory planning, they are creating models that can scale. These innovations feed into national strategies, inform regional peer learning, and shift the continental narrative from dependency to agency.
Kenya ' s Public Finance Management Act and County Government Act require counties to involve the public in planning and budgeting. Each year, counties prepare Annual Development Plans( ADPs), Program-Based Budgets( PBBs), and County Fiscal Strategy Papers( CFSPs). Youth can engage by attending budget hearings, submitting memoranda, or even facilitating public forums.
In 2024, a youth-led group in Makueni County organized a budget advocacy training that resulted in the inclusion
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