Held in the wake of major electoral activities, the dialogue focused on themes such as:

• Preventing Electoral Violence

• Youth Inclusion in Peacebuilding

• Social Cohesion and National Unity

• Digital Responsibility and Countering Hate Speech

Through keynote addresses, panel sessions, and breakout discussions, the dialogue generated youth-driven resolutions on fostering peace and inclusive development. These resolutions are intended to inform RTLA’s advocacy efforts and community peace action plans.

The NYPS has been adopted across schools, youth centers, and civic spaces to promote a culture of peace and to inspire active participation in peaceful democratic processes. It complements RTLA’s broader work under initiatives such as YAEVA, FTR, and ReadyToVote, reinforcing the organization’s strategic investment in democratic integrity and youth leadership.

Both NYPD and NYPS contribute to RTLA’s long-term peace architecture, ensuring young people are not just observers but architects of peaceful and democratic societies.

Built on the pillars of employability, entrepreneurship, civic responsibility, and leadership, ReadyToWork supports young people to become not only job-ready but also future-ready—capable of leading change within their communities and industries.

Core Objectives:

• Equip young people with practical, in-demand workplace skills.

• Strengthen soft skills such as communication, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence.

• Foster entrepreneurial thinking and business development capacity.

• Promote active citizenship and leadership readiness.

Key Components:

• Workplace Readiness Training: Digital and in-person learning modules covering CV writing, interview preparation, workplace ethics, and productivity tools.

• Career Clinics & Job Shadowing: Real-world exposure through internships, job matching, and mentorship with industry professionals.

• Entrepreneurship Bootcamps: Business ideation, planning, and access to startup resources for aspiring entrepreneurs.

• Civic Leadership Track: Training on governance, volunteerism, and pathways to public leadership for youth.

Impact:

Thousands of youth have been empowered through ReadyToWork’s structured interventions, gaining the confidence, competence, and clarity to take their place in the workforce and society at large.

Core Objectives of ReadyToVote:

• Voter Education: Equip young people with accurate, accessible information on voter registration, PVC collection, and the voting process.

• Civic Awareness: Promote understanding of democratic values, the importance of voting, and how governance affects everyday life.

• Youth Mobilization: Inspire mass youth turnout at elections through community outreach, digital campaigns, and peer-to-peer engagement.

• Combating Disinformation: Address myths, fears, and misinformation that discourage electoral participation among young voters.

Key Activities and Tools:

• Town Hall Events & Campus Drives: Engaging young voters across tertiary institutions and communities with live discussions, trainings, and voter clinics.

• Digital Campaigns: Utilizing social media, infographics, videos, and influencer partnerships to spread key messages and calls-to-action.

• Grassroots Mobilizers: A network of youth volunteers and local champions helping drive voter turnout at the ward and community level.

• Collaborative Engagements: Working with INEC, CSOs, media, and election partners to amplify reach and impact.

Impact Highlights:

• Reached over [insert number] young Nigerians through online and offline voter education campaigns.

• Supported PVC awareness and collection drives in multiple states.

• Partnered with youth networks to increase voter turnout in the 2023 general elections.

In November 2017, Mugabe dismissed his first vice president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, in an apparent attempt to position his wife, Grace Mugabe, as his successor. This move triggered a swift response from the military, which led to Mugabe’s removal from office within two weeks. Emmerson Mnangagwa was subsequently sworn in as president.

Authoritarian regimes often suppress social movements through both overt and covert means—ranging from the use of state security forces like the military to more subtle strategies such as media manipulation and co-optation. While such regimes may publicly profess a commitment to human rights, meaningful progress in these areas is frequently driven by grassroots activism and collective civic engagement—often referred to as “people power.”

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Kenya’s journey toward democracy began with its first general election on December 6, 1969, following independence from Britain in 1963. That same year, President Jomo Kenyatta, a Kikuyu and leader of the Kenya African National Union (KANU), banned the opposition Kenya People’s Union (KPU), effectively transforming the country into a one-party state. This political consolidation was reinforced in the early 1970s when the Kenya African Democratic Union (KADU) merged with KANU.

In 1991, under growing domestic and international pressure, President Daniel Arap Moi of the Kalenjin ethnic group reintroduced multiparty politics. However, the lead-up to the 1992 elections was plagued by state-sanctioned violence. KANU-aligned militias targeted ethnic communities perceived as opposition supporters—primarily Luo, Luhya, Kamba, and Kikuyu groups—particularly in the Rift Valley. These attacks displaced nearly 250,000 people (mostly Kikuyu) and resulted in about 1,500 deaths.

The 1997 elections were similarly marred by politically motivated violence, especially in the Rift Valley and Coastal regions, displacing approximately 100,000 people and killing around 400. In 2002, Mwai Kibaki of the National Rainbow Coalition defeated KANU’s Uhuru Kenyatta, marking the first presidential loss for KANU since independence. Despite this democratic milestone, elections continued to be influenced by ethnic and tribal affiliations.

Kenya’s most severe post-election crisis occurred in 2007–2008. On December 27, 2007, voters chose between incumbent President Mwai Kibaki, from the Kikuyu ethnic group, and Raila Odinga of the Luo ethnic group. Following a contested vote count, the Electoral Commission declared Kibaki the winner on December 30, though the Chairman later admitted uncertainty about the true result. Allegations of electoral fraud sparked widespread protests that escalated into ethnic violence. Over a span of 59 days, an estimated 1,400 people were killed and more than 600,000 displaced, as gangs attacked homes and businesses, particularly in urban slums.

This period of turmoil highlighted the deep-seated ethnic divisions in Kenyan politics and the urgent need for electoral reforms and national reconciliation.

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