Kenya’s youth politics has entered a more confrontational and organised phase. ODM Youth League member and activist Kasmuel McOure has drawn a clear line between the 2024 protest generation and the political class now circling their movement.
By launching the Broad-Based Youth Front, McOure signals a refusal to be managed, sponsored, or spoken for by politicians who never faced teargas or batons during the Gen Z demonstrations. His message to President William Ruto’s administration is blunt. Youth will engage power directly, not through political brokers.
Broad-Based Youth Front Signals a New Youth Power Play
The formation of the Broad-Based Youth Front marks a strategic shift in how young Kenyans intend to influence the state. Speaking on Tuesday, December 9, McOure rejected any political direction from leaders who stayed silent or absent during the 2024 protests for good governance.
“I will not take direction from any politician who was not with us on the streets. Their popularity or political status notwithstanding,” he said.
That statement carries weight in a political environment where veteran politicians routinely attempt to hijack popular movements. McOure accused several figures of rebranding themselves within the broad-based government narrative despite failing to participate in the original demonstrations that shook the Ruto administration.
The Broad-Based Youth Front positions itself not as a party appendage but as a pressure structure. McOure said the youth who defended and shaped the broad-based agenda have both the legitimacy and capacity to own it until the end. In his view, youth are no longer a mobilisation tool for elections only to be discarded later.
By opting for direct lobbying, the Broad-Based Youth Front seeks to bypass political middlemen. The aim is simple. Force accountability through organised pressure, not negotiated loyalty. This approach mirrors the raw energy of the Gen Z protests, now translated into a more permanent political formation.
Why McOure Rejects Political Interference
McOure’s defiance exposes a deeper frustration among young activists. Many believe the political class is attempting to sanitise and domesticate a movement that began in open rebellion against poor governance.
According to McOure, politicians who ignored calls for reform during the protests cannot suddenly claim moral authority over the broad-based government. He views such attempts as opportunistic and dangerous to the original goals of the movement.
The Broad-Based Youth Front therefore becomes a gatekeeping mechanism. It draws a boundary between genuine youth voices and political tourists seeking relevance. McOure insists that the youth must define priorities, strategies, and red lines without senior politicians dictating outcomes behind closed doors.
This posture also challenges conventional Kenyan politics where influence flows through patronage. McOure’s stance replaces loyalty with legitimacy rooted in protest participation and grassroots organising.
Direct Lobbying Puts Pressure on Ruto Administration
By choosing to lobby the government directly, the Broad-Based Youth Front places President William Ruto’s administration under sharper scrutiny. McOure made it clear that youth will engage the state openly, demanding results rather than appointments.
“We are taking back our voice. Starting today, we will lobby the government for youth affairs directly,” he declared.
This approach complicates the government’s usual response of co-opting activists with symbolic positions. Direct lobbying shifts focus to policy delivery, funding, and measurable outcomes in employment, education, and creative industries.
McOure has defended Ruto’s administration since joining ODM in September 2024, yet he has not shielded it from criticism. He openly questions why youth remain largely excluded from meaningful government roles despite their central role in sustaining the broad-based government narrative.
The Broad-Based Youth Front therefore functions both as a supporter and a watchdog. It endorses the promise of a broad-based government while confronting its failures.
Youth Ministry Under Fire From Activists
McOure reserved his sharpest criticism for the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports. He accused the ministry of indolence and intolerable inefficiency, arguing that it treats young people as an afterthought.
“The ministry prioritises personal agendas over the mandate entrusted to them; its dismal performance treats the youth as an aftermath,” he said.
These remarks tap into growing national frustration over youth unemployment and stalled creative sector reforms. McOure warned that youth activists would escalate pressure until the ministry delivers tangible results.
His comments land amid renewed debate on youth representation and government responsiveness. The Broad-Based Youth Front now positions itself as the vehicle through which that pressure will be applied.
For McOure, the mission remains unchanged. Defend good governance, demand accountability, and ensure the 2024 protest generation is not erased from the country’s political future.
