As Kenya prepares for the 2027 General Elections, lessons from past electoral cycles present an opportunity to strengthen the capacity of young people to engage peacefully and effectively in the democratic process. This is particularly critical for youth in Nairobi’s informal settlements, who are often victims of manipulation by the political class who take advantage of the young people’s economic vulnerabilities and use them to perpetuate violence to advance their political interests.
With support from GIZ-CPS, CEEC is implementing a youth civic education project titled “Strengthening the Capacity of Youth in Nairobi’s Informal Settlements for a Peaceful and Inclusive 2027 General Election.” The project began in January 2026 with a three-days training of 65 youth from five sub-counties in Nairobi namely, Kibra, Ruaraka, Dagoretti North, Embakasi North, and Mathare on civic education and social media engagement. This will be followed by a series of civic education forums across the five sub-counties, which will be conducted by the trained youth with the support of CEEC. To reach a wider audience, the trainees will conduct civic education sensitization on social media through short videos as well as X Space discussions. In addition, IEC materials will be developed to further strengthen outreach and awareness efforts.