Big moment for digital natives with choices

There is something interesting about Kenyans. Even though the bulk of voters in the coming referendum are millennials and digital natives, a number of things remain the same. Three or so years ago, the phrase, ‘same old Arsenal’ was a recurrent refrain and pundits kept talking of, ‘Oh, they have failed to replace Patrick Vieira!’ ‘Oh, they lack that spine!’ ‘They are just boys with great technical abilities but no leader.’ I mean, it was such a cliché set of phrases that more often than not we would see the unfurling of ‘Wenger Out’ in some significant gatherings of people around the world. Well, now Arsenal has Gabriel Magalhaes and Thomas Partey and, you know what they say? Let the ‘partey’ begin. However, one thing is for sure: the more things change, the more they remain the same and as an Arsenal fan I hope things change at the Emirates Stadium. It is the same hope I have in the emergent generation of voters who have grown up with choices and will probably be voting for the first time. You see, my generation voted for the first time in 2002, and we did not have choices these digital natives, born in the era of the internet, have. In fact, a typical date when we were in campus was very basic. A movie night for us was late night movies on some local TV stations back then or Prison Break or 24 in some dingy and stuffy hostel room. The emergent generation of voters are different. They have grown up with choices: from Netflix to DSTV, a multiplicity of legacy media outlets to consumption of an array of opinions and gossip peddled by so-called social media influencers. In rural areas terrestrial digital broadcasting provides lots of choices and in the globalised world, even local economy in my village of Nyikendo in Migori county, has brands from all over the world including a mall called ‘Westgate.’ Granted, most of these 18-24-year-olds are not only confronted with a multiplicity of choices, but have certainly grown up with them and their life has been that of contending choices. It would be interesting to see how this group of first-time voters will shape sociopolitical and economic landscape beginning with the coming referendum. For such a generation, you expect a life of putting issues side by side has inculcated a culture of robust debate on issues. Therefore, with talks of a contested or a non-contested referendum, this group should come alive. They have lived with contests all their lives and thrive on choices that meet their expectations. Studies indicate they are big on enjoyment and progress in their media consumption habits. On the political front, a lot has been said about social media breeding a vitriolic culture of political intolerance. That is majorly because our political class has perfected the art of perpetuating politics of belonging, and mobilisation along tribal lines. The coming referendum has issues that will attract contest; that is the essence of democracy. Needless to say, when the ideas presented are substantive enough and from a variety of actors who want leadership, there will be contest. The BBI constitutional amendment bill presents a constitutional moment and that is as big as it can get. But today, with the array of information we have, you expect the generation that has grown up with choices to have a big say in the outcome. But their choices will be only as useful as their socialisation with the BBI proposals and the opportunities it provides not only to the youth but also to all Kenyans. — The writer is a PhD candidate hesbonhansen@gmail.com

Big moment for digital natives with choices

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Big moment for digital natives with choices

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