Mechanisms of Youth Participation in Governance in Kenyan Counties: A Case of Tharaka-Nithi County

Abstract

This research focused on examining the mechanisms of youth participation in governance in Kenya. The researchers limited their investigation to Tharaka Nithi county’s four sub-counties. The study used a concurrent triangulation mixed-method research design which involved both quantitative and qualitative data collection phases simultaneously, then analysing the results. A total of 156 respondents were involved, 39 from each sub-county. The findings of the study were that the majority of the participants obtained governance training through the civil societies, followed by mass media, then the community, then politicians, and lastly the chiefs, however, they were not adequately involved in governance processes. Participants were taught how to monitor and ensure the following; accountability, transparency, participation, efficiency, rule of law, effectiveness, and responsiveness. This has an implication that the youths were trained on civic engagement, accountable decision making, and effective public service delivery in the whole Tharaka Nithi County. The training improved the youth’s understanding of participation in governance. It was determined that 71.7% of the predictor factors account for training offered having improved the youth’s understanding of participation in governance in Tharaka Nithi County. There are however other factors other than the predictor factors that also accounted for the training offered having improved the youths’ understanding of participation in governance in Tharaka Nithi County. These unexplained factors account for 28.3%. The study, therefore, recommends that the youth be more involved in governance because they have sufficient training and can make rational decisions.