By Kevin Makova | Forezava Voices – Vihiga Edition
It’s funny how we love to complain — about high prices, lack of jobs, bad roads, corruption, and the never-ending drama in politics — yet when it’s time to do the one simple thing that could change it all, we stay home.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) recently opened continuous voter registration, but truth be told, turnout has been low. The same youth who dominate every protest, meme, and WhatsApp group debate about leadership are the same ones missing in the voter lists.
We keep saying “Kenya needs change!” But how, if we refuse to touch the very tool that gives us power — the ballot?
A Conversation That Hit Home
During one of my usual morning walks in the village, I stopped to chat with a young neighbor — bright, opinionated, and full of life. But when I asked if she had registered to vote, her answer shocked me.
“What for?” she said. “Voting doesn’t help anyone. It just makes politicians richer.”
She’s not alone. Many of our youth feel the same way. They’ve watched election after election deliver the same results — leaders who promise heaven but serve themselves first. I get it. The disappointment is real.
But here’s the thing — by refusing to vote, we hand over our power to the same people we complain about. We give them a blank cheque to do as they wish because we chose silence over action.
When You Don’t Vote, Someone Else Chooses for You
Think about it. When turnout is low, elections are decided by just a few — often those who are paid to vote or influenced by handouts. That’s how corruption wins. That’s how leaders with no vision sneak into office.
The fewer people who vote, the easier it is to manipulate results, inflate figures, and twist outcomes. The numbers stop representing the people — they start representing the highest bidder.
Voting is Power — Real Power
When you vote, you don’t just mark a paper — you set boundaries. You give direction. You gain the right to demand better.
Your vote decides whether funds go to new markets in Mbale or vanish into someone’s offshore account. It decides whether youth groups in Luanda get real support or remain in endless waiting.
Voting gives you voice. The power to say, “Hii hatutakubali!” when leaders misuse office. It’s how we decide who manages our roads, schools, and even water access.
Silence Helps the Wrong People
When we refuse to participate, we lose the moral courage to complain. We lose the right to question why an MCA is driving a new car bought with public funds while our villages lack streetlights or job programs.
Our silence becomes a green light for corruption.
Vihiga Youth: We Are the Numbers!
Here in Vihiga, youth make up the majority. We run the boda bodas, the farms, the shops, and the tech spaces. We are the economy. But numbers alone don’t change things — numbers plus action do.
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Let’s stop being bystanders. Let’s show up. Let’s make our votes count.
Final Word
Tuko na numbers, lakini bila vote hazicount.
Let’s rise above the cynicism. Change doesn’t begin in Parliament — it begins with you walking to that polling station and saying, “This is my Kenya too.”
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