Kirinyaga Woman Representative Njeri Maina . [Courtesy]
Kirinyaga Woman Representative Njeri Maina has called on young Kenyans to move beyond street protests and seek elective office instead, arguing that civic activism should translate into political leadership.
Speaking on Monday, August 24, at a youth engagement organised by the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) at former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's Wamunyoro residence in Nyeri, Maina told Gen Z that demonstrations and public debate alone were not enough.
She said young people should also compete for positions from which they can shape policy and governance.
"During the Gen Z protests, I was on the front line defending those arrested during the protests. I could enter the court at 7 a.m. and leave court late in the evening," she said.
Maina pressed aspiring leaders to seize the political space opening up for them rather than let established politicians dominate the field.
She pointed to her own trajectory as evidence the path was possible, noting she was elected Kirinyaga Woman Representative at 27 after being told she would not succeed.
She challenged young aspirants to build relationships with voters at the grassroots, including small-scale traders and boda boda riders, and to actively market themselves.