Deconstructing intergenerational politics between ‘Young Turks’ and ‘Old Guards’ in Africa: an exploration of the perceptions on leadership and governance in Kenya

Abstract

Arguably, political leadership in Africa has been characterized as an occupation of the old. This has spurred heightened intergenerational conflicts, which pre-existed the formation of independent nation states. Conflicts over power and leadership among young and older generations were evident, and still are, in many traditional African societies. Such relationships continue within contemporary social, economic and cultural contexts. Aside from ethnicity being at the heart of defining political developments in Kenya, the ‘generation card’ is often invoked in the unfolding of political reform and democratic space. This paper interrogates the emergent relationship between ‘Young Turks’ (those characterized as ‘young’, full of ideas and impatient for change) and ‘Old Guards’ (those believed to be unwilling to change and accept new ideas), and questions its relevance for social, political and economic policy. It reveals how public space in Kenyan polity has been controlled by its older generations, who maintain a firm grip on the country's resources. It concludes by calling for a meaningful intergenerational dialog, where both young and old share ideas on how best to proceed on Kenya's path to social, political and economic development.

Keywords:

• conflict
• intergenerational
• generational politics
• governance
• Young Turks
• Old Guards
• Kenya

Notes

1. The term ‘Young Turks’ originated in Turkey. It describes a political standpoint and a movement. It was first used to describe a movement of young Turkish people – who after they had spent time studying in Western Europe, returned home with innovative ideas and determination to reform their country from feudal despotism to ‘liberal democracy’. This clique is known to mobilize against the incumbent regime and changing the status quo. Arguably, it is believed that this movement produced the Kingpin celebrated nationalist Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the military leader who founded the Turkey Republic in 1923, and ruled until 1938 (Ochieng 2008).

2. Kenneth Matiba is recorded to have led defiance against President Moi's government and the call for a multiparty system.

3. Uhuru is a Kiswahili word for freedom or independence.