麻豆社

Dennis and Joanne are two young Kenyans who are preparing to cast their ballots in the country's forthcoming election. Nearly three-quarters of the population are under 35, but only 40% of those aged 18 to 35 have registered to vote. Both agree that against the backdrop of high unemployment and the rising cost of living, many young people feel disillusioned. There is also the constant concern that the violence that marred previous elections in Kenya in the periods leading up to, during and after the polls, could resurface.

Already, the social media platform Facebook says it has had to pull down thousands of posts for promoting hate speech in the country in the run-up to next month鈥檚 election. But Dennis and Joanne both believe that things have changed and the conflicts of the past are unlikely to arise. They have been speaking to Focus on Africa's Karnie Sharp in the town of Nyeri about their hopes for this election and why they feel encouraged that it will be peaceful.

Photo: Kenyan voters Dennis and Joanne. Credit: 麻豆社.