1. Organizational Development Support to the young MCAs.
In May 2018, KYPA brought together young MCAs from across the country to help them form a young MCAs caucus (Kenya Young MCAs Association (KYMCA) that would not only mirror the work of KYPA at the county level but also substantively represent the youth in the county assemblies and at the county level.
This activity helped the fledgling Association to develop a constitution, an organizational structure, and a strategic plan. This was done through consultative meeting with KYPA and KYMCA, in partnership with the National Democratic Institute members, as well as a consultant who was tasked with putting the ideas into relevant documents. These documents were fundamental in ensuring that the caucus is institutionalized, so that its work continues beyond the life of the current parliament.
The young MCAs’ leaders were taken through the strategic planning process, organizational structuring, and development of a constitution during a one-day meeting. In the build-up to the one-day meeting, the members of the KYMCA national executive committee also met to collect data and prioritize their needs as per the regions. The day meeting was divided into three sessions, whose outcomes were drafts of the: KYMCA constitution; strategic plan; an organizational structure including a full-time secretariat, and the association’s vision, mission, and core values
2. Regional Young MCAs Trainings.
Young legislators underwent capacity building trainings on their roles of budget oversight and legislation as well as how they can better represent the youth in the various regions. The aim was to ensure that the outcome of young MCAs’ work is youth focused. The regional meetings also allowed for sharing of best practices and experiences as well as exchange of ideas. The outcomes of this activity was inclusive policies and programs that reflect the needs and priorities of young people at the county level and improved oversight over the implementation of youth-centred fiscal policies at the county level. These were tracked through the number and quality of debates at the selected county assemblies and the number of pro-youth legislations in the selected counties. Internal experts from both the NDI and KYPA conducted the trainings over three sessions.
3. Formation of county youth caucuses
The success of KYPA’s work in youth representation is linked in the Association’s ability to caucus around youth issues and use their collective numbers and power within parliament to effect legislative. KYPA notes the potential of caucuses and will seek to help young MCAs in 2 select counties within the selected regions to form, register, and organize their caucus. This was achieved through a one-day meeting for each of the two counties selected. Implementation ensured that at least 30 young MCAs were reached in total. In the long term, this resulted in a unified approach by young legislators in the oversight, legislation, and representation of the youth and their issues at the county level; inclusive policies and programs that reflect the needs and priorities of young people at the county level; and overall, engaged, enlightened, and empowered young MCAs. The progress was tracked through the number of young MCAs assembled/caucused, and the public opinion of the youth in the selected county assemblies.
