Join us or form your party, Millie Odhiambo tells Gen Zs

Suba North Member of Parliament Millie Odhiambo has urged the youth in the country to either join existing political movements or establish their own parties if they truly wish to influence the country's political landscape ahead of the 2027 General Election. 

Speaking on Spice FM on Tuesday, March 4, Odhiambo emphasised that challenging the status quo from the sidelines is ineffective and that true political change can only be achieved from within. 

Her remarks come amidst an ongoing debate on youth engagement and its influence on Kenyan politics. 

According to Odhiambo, as politicians, they will continue to strategize, vie for office, and remain in politics as that is their path. 

Therefore, if Gen Z wants to make a difference or challenge them, forming a party would be ideal, or joining one that aligns with their beliefs. 

“After the Gen Z issue last year, our party leader called for dialogue, which they rejected. The same people who want to be at the table, do not want to be at the table. We are also seeking this power; it is our path… Form a party or join us, that’s the only way to challenge the political class,” said the lawmaker.

Millie Odhiambo: I was supporting the Gen Zs and what they were doing because the country was going off. They were raising the same things that our party has raised over the years on governance.
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Follow our live conversation on YouTube:… ="https://t.co/X9gang13Rn">pic.twitter.com/X9gang13Rn< — SpiceFM (@SpiceFMKE) ="https://twitter.com/SpiceFMKE/status/1896823648087933335?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2025<

Despite her stance, the political class has increasingly turned to social media platforms, including Facebook, ="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/national/article/2001498419/ruto-faces-kenyans-fury-in-rare-x-space-meeting">X,< TikTok, and even WhatsApp, to engage with the youth, who are expected to form the largest voting bloc in the 2027 elections. 

="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/politics/article/2001508527/scramble-for-gen-z-as-leaders-eye-11m-new-voters-in-2027#google_vignette">Political parties<, including the United Democratic Alliance, Wiper Party, and the Orange Democratic Movement, have been actively engaging with the youth online to bring them into the fold. 

Their efforts are driven by the fact that, according to the 2019 census from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, 11 million new voters will be aged between 19 and 29, a segment that makes up a significant portion of the youth population.

Gen Z rose above the norm in June 2024, when they were pushing for good governance and change in the 2024/2025 Finance Bill.

According to the group, the traditional political structures have failed to deliver and do not fully represent their interests, raising calls for a change in the political space.

Some have chosen to challenge the established political parties, others have taken Odhiambo's advice to heart, with a growing number of youth moving toward supporting new ="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/health/politics/article/2001511352/the-battle-for-opposition-supremacy-who-will-have-the-last-word">presidential candidates< like Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah.

Whether they choose to challenge the political class from within or outside existing structures, it is clear that the young generation holds the power to redefine Kenya's political future.