Aasai

Githunguri Member of Parliament (MP) Gathoni Wamuchomba has issued a passionate call for the government and key stakeholders to develop deliberate and sustainable strategies to harness the talents and energy of Generation Z. Her appeal follows a spirited youth forum she attended on Monday, July 21, 2025, which she described as both eye-opening and inspiring.

The event, dubbed a “Genzi Nation” engagement, brought together hundreds of vibrant youth for a sensitization session focused on career development and awareness of gender-based violence (GBV). The meeting was not a typical formal affair—it merged learning with entertainment, featuring upbeat dance performances, humorous slang exchanges, and live youth-led showcases. According to Wamuchomba, the youthful crowd exuded creativity, confidence, and an unshakable sense of identity that impressed her deeply.

“So today I spent time with the Genzi Nation,” Wamuchomba wrote in a playful yet thoughtful post on her official X account. “The fun, the energy, and the style is really in the Ozone.” Despite her admiration, she candidly admitted to struggling with some of the Gen Z lingo and fast-paced dance routines. “My biggest problem was that I couldn’t catch up with their dancing styles and language. I only remember Nakulobotov maathee siku zote,” she joked, referencing one of the day’s viral phrases.

However, beyond the humor lay a serious message. Wamuchomba expressed concern that Kenya risks squandering a golden opportunity if it fails to invest meaningfully in its youth. She emphasized the need for structured support systems, including mentorship programs, funding for creative arts, and expanded digital economy opportunities. “We MUST get a way of tapping these talents, energy, and numbers,” she insisted in her post, urging both public and private sectors to act swiftly.

This is not Wamuchomba’s first time spotlighting youth empowerment. Just a week earlier, she had addressed the aftermath of youth-led protests across the country, where young people demanded reforms and greater inclusion in national development. In her statement on July 14, 2025, she said, “I watched a lot of media clips of maandamano kimbikimbi (protest runs). I have concluded that our young people are talented and very energetic.”

She used that moment to call for a national sports development policy aimed at identifying and nurturing youth talent at the grassroots. “When I am president, I will saturate every ward with government official sports academies, fully funded and ready to tap into the talents,” she declared. “Instead of exporting labour, I will exploit Kenyan talents to the benefit of the players.”

Wamuchomba’s advocacy is part of a broader shift in political narrative as leaders increasingly acknowledge the vital role of Gen Z in shaping Kenya’s future. With youth making up a large proportion of the population—and often dominating digital spaces, cultural trends, and protest movements—there is growing pressure on institutions to align with their aspirations.

Analysts say her message is timely and necessary. The creative industry, digital entrepreneurship, civic activism, and sports are sectors where Gen Z is already making strides without much institutional support. By creating policies that nurture these sectors, Kenya could unlock significant socio-economic gains and reduce unemployment, which disproportionately affects the youth.

As Kenya looks ahead to its next electoral cycle and the changing dynamics of leadership, voices like Wamuchomba’s are pushing the country to rethink how it engages with its youngest and most energetic citizens. Whether through sports, arts, tech innovation, or civic expression, the Gen Z wave is rising—and leaders like Wamuchomba believe it’s time the country rode with it, not against it.