Youth’s Political Participation: Redefining Democracy in Africa Context
By Daniel Athior’o Atem, Juba, South Sudan
What should be known?
Thursday, 19 June 2025 (PW) — The African youths are men and women between the ages of 18 – and 35. They constitute 80% of the African population and a strong political force as evidenced by Niger, Senegal, South Africa and Burkina Faso. The fact that they form the largest group on the African continent, redefining democracy using the youths with a special focus on participation is one of the answers to African problems. Since immemorial, Africans have been delaying the transition into adulthood with the view not to entrust youths with social–economic and political organization or control. Yet, such realities are catalysts to young people’s participation. Under contemporary Africa, there has been an argument that participation needs to be democratic through political systems, and economic, social, cultural and social dynamics.
Realizing this assumption from the old generation, the youths self-initiated effort started as early as 1929 with the formation of the West African Students Union – WASU with the main emphasis on having a national youth assembly. This was energized by the Fifth Pan–African Congress of 1945 in Manchester where youths envisioned the liberation of the African Continent as a reality. As a result, most of the political parties towards independence came as youth–self–initiated activities. Evidence shows that over 37 African states had won independence by 1965 due to the activities of the youths. At independence, the youths pledged allegiance to regimes but the politics of new states later embraced the old beliefs and patriarchy and gerontocracy by distrusting youths once again. A mixed (inclusive and exclusive) approach adopted by regimes excluded most youths and their images that appeared during liberation wars.
Expectations by redefining democracy with youths;
It is important to ascertain despite social, economic and political changes taking place in Africa, patriarchy and gerontocracy are still used by governments. This has sidelined youths to a peripheral position rather than actual participation involvement. This article reiterates that once the youths are fully involved vocal and aggressive in the form of defensive can be witnessed. Although many youths have limited to constitutional politics, vocal and violent approaches will be used in defense of this constitution. This is a positive narrative since the youths have been perceived against this form of democracy. Thus, they will remain supporters and participants in a constitutional democracy that breeds lasting peace rather than anarchy and unrest.
The youth will be most voters and parties’ workers which shall be essential towards formal public participation and inclusiveness. In any set of democracy, voting is an important feature and determinant of young people’s engagement and inclusiveness. Once Africa receives two out of three of the young people between the ages of 18 and 35 participating in voting politics at the national level, its majority must be contesting. Such forms of governance will be youth–based politics benefiting current and future generations.
In Africa, the population of women is much higher as compared to men. This applies to voting patterns and participation in civil politics. Gender narrative to voting goes with behavior that young women below the age of 25 participate in the voting exercises as compared to individuals aged 26 – 34. Yet, the latter participates in democratic politics as well as owning social and economic resources. Redefining democratic politics will therefore attract young women into partisan politics and this will increase decision-making among females. It will also increase women’s registration from one location/country to another since they have high numbers as compared to women.
Aligning democratic participation with the youth will enable the young females to be part of the famous bloc to pressure groups within parties to move towards greater democracy. This case took place in Ghana in 2008, 2012 and 2016 in which youth party members advocated for the inclusion of more young people in the management of their parties and as candidates. This became successful with the National Democratic Convention (NDC). Its increased youth representatives at all levels of the party and activism by student activists who stood in parliamentary election primaries.
Redefining is essential towards increasing forms of protest movements among the youths in case issues towards greater democracy. Such protests have taken place in Burundi in June 2015 against President Pierre Nkurunziza. Such forms of protests are meant to protect provisions of the constitution or any form of investment that is inversely against national development. The youth can use the media or press to advance the cause nationally which also influences different groups and countries in the same manner. Irrespective of any type of political system in a country, the youth can either be confrontational or peaceful. Once this is known, the African leaders must seek to rule by constitutional decisions as a basis for national governance.
Inclusive Approach;
Many youths in African countries are excluded from the political system but this needs to change so that they participate in formal governance structures. The age limit for a candidate to represent a political unit needs to be open to youths of all ages as codified in international norms and constitutions. To be a member of parliament in Nigeria, one must have attained the age of 30; in Sierra Leone, it is 21 and 18 for Kenya and for South Sudan, not yet well defined. The fact that constitutions emphasize the age of 18 for non-children, the youth need to be allowed to start contributing towards decision-making at national and local levels.
Above government or formal regulations, liquidating cultural norms and social limitations against youth have finance or social capital serves best towards the route of youths’ participation. Thus, regardless of formal regulations and laws, the youth starting at the age of 18 must be free to join all political, social and economic institutions if they feel he/she is able. Engaging the youth in different aspects makes them grow responsible for themselves and others to enable the community to maintain three variables – civil and public order as well as attaining community goodness. However, one needs to recall that the involvement of the youths is not the sole factor in attaining goodness or civil order. Cases of participation have been observed in Zimbabwe, Kenya and possibly Ghana but there are still wide gaps in democratic participation. In the case of Ghana, for example, the first prime minister – Kwame Nkrumah was 32 years and the average of his cabinet was the age 34. This did not transform Ghana since the post–-Nkrumah returned to patriarchal politics.
Conclusion;
Although there is an effort to raise the position of youths in democratic politics and participation at all levels, there is still general negligence in Africa. Information about youths indicates them as active actors in democracy but not well supported by communities and African governments. The youths need to start using possible available opportunities through the constitution to achieve more in democracy and governance.
The author, Daniel Athior’o Atem, was the World Bank Blog4Dev2019 Winner for South Sudan||A member of the World Bank Youth Transforming Africa||Mandela Scholar. Can be reach via; [email protected]
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