October 2025

12Oct

Is Kenya Ready for Its Enlightened Youth Surge?

by accentleadershipgroup Featured Leadership Coaching, Public Policy, Responsible Leadership

A diverse group of young people smiling and enjoying their time together in an urban setting, with some holding smartphones and expressing joy.

A new generation of critically minded, values-driven young people is emerging, and the country must prepare to engage, not resist, their influence.
Dr. Gilbert A. Ang’ana

A few weeks ago, during a leadership conversation with a group of high school students, one young man confidently asked me, “Dr. Ang’ana, why do we keep saying we’re the leaders of tomorrow when we’re already leading in our own spaces today?” I have developed a prototype AI platform, which I look to get support to incubate and enhance further as I move into college/university. I am already invited to AI forums to share thoughts and ideas on its development. His question made me reflect deeper, not because it was new, but because of how boldly it was framed.

I realised something profound, that this generation is no longer waiting for permission to lead or to be heard. They are challenging outdated assumptions, demanding relevance, and redefining what leadership, education, and civic responsibility mean in today’s Kenya. The conversations left me reflecting deeply on a larger national question: Is Kenya truly ready for its enlightened youth surge?

The Seeds of Enlightenment

Twenty-two years ago, when President Mwai Kibaki took the reins of leadership, Kenya began a new chapter of progressive reform, especially in education. Free primary education, the expansion of higher learning institutions, and the liberalisation of ICT transformed Kenya’s human capital landscape.

Over two decades later, we are witnessing the fruits of those policies. Kenya now boasts a more informed, expressive, and digitally connected youth population. Our young people are more aware of their rights, more critical of governance, and more vocal about national issues than any previous generation.

But while many celebrate this transformation, others view it with unease. They see a generation that questions authority, defies hierarchy, and demands space in decision-making. Yet, whether one calls it a blessing or a disruption, the truth is this: the era of enlightened youth has arrived, and it is only beginning.

The Next Wave Is Coming

What we see today with Gen Z is just the beginning. The next wave, those educated under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system, will begin joining universities and colleges by 2029 and the workforce by 2032. This upcoming generation will be even more confident, creative, and socially conscious. They will not simply seek employment; they will seek purpose. They will not be content with being told what to do, they will expect to be heard, involved, and respected.

The question is: Is Kenya ready for them?

The Old vs. The New

Our institutions, whether in politics, workplaces, or even families, are still largely shaped by older generations who value obedience, tradition, and hierarchy. Many still expect the youth to listen, not question. But the youthful population wants dialogue, not directives; engagement, not instructions.

If this generational tension remains unresolved, Kenya risks facing deeper societal fractures between those who hold power and those who feel excluded from it. The challenge is not just about age; it is about mindset.

Three Thoughts to Guide the Transition

While there may be no quick fixes, three ideas can guide our preparation for this inevitable shift.

1. Reimagine leadership at all levels.
The leaders of tomorrow must not be controllers but facilitators. Kenya needs leadership that listens, inspires, and co-creates solutions. Young people will not follow out of fear or obligation; they will follow conviction and authenticity.

2. Build genuine intergenerational dialogue.
We must move from suspicion to collaboration between generations. This means creating intentional spaces, in governance, education, and civil society, where the wisdom of experience meets the creativity of youth. Respect must be mutual, not demanded.

3. Align education with values and civic imagination.
CBE must go beyond skills training. It must nurture ethics, empathy, and citizenship. Enlightenment without moral grounding can breed arrogance; education without purpose can produce entitlement. Kenya’s future depends on raising thinkers who not only ask how but also why.

A Defining Moment

Kenya’s next great test will not be whether the youth are ready for leadership, it will be whether the nation is ready for their kind of leadership. The seeds of enlightenment planted in the early 2000s have grown into a generation that refuses to be ignored. If embraced, they could drive Kenya into a new era of innovation and civic renewal. If resisted, they could deepen the disconnect between the governed and those in power. The time to prepare is now.

About the Author

Dr. Gilbert Ang’ana is a Leadership, Governance, and Policy Consultant and Founder of Accent Leadership Group. He is a Senior Lecturer and the Dean School of Leadership at PAC University, a Policy Leader Fellow at the European University Institute and a published scholar, he champions human-centred leadership as the future of organisational success. Follow his insights on LinkedIn or visit www.accentleadership.com.

9Oct

The Silent Epidemic: The Rising Tide of Workplace-Inflicted Trauma

by accentleadershipgroup Featured Leadership Coaching

An illustration of a stressful workplace environment depicting several employees, including a woman with glasses looking overwhelmed at her desk, while others appear anxious and distracted at their computers.

By Dr. Gilbert A. Ang’ana

A close friend once shared her story with me. A story that, sadly, mirrors the silent suffering of many professionals today. She was passionate about her work, deeply committed, and loyal to her organization. Yet, beneath that dedication lay emotional exhaustion. Her confidence had been chipped away bit by bit by subtle humiliation, unrealistic demands, and an environment where fear was the dominant. Eventually, she sought therapy.

Fortunately, after months of healing and believing she was ready to start afresh, she left that organization for another. In fact it looked like a blessing since the new organization had a glowing reputation for success. But barely two years into her new role, she found herself back in therapy. The same patterns had resurfaced. Different faces, same wounds.

Workplace-inflicted trauma is a reality many people face today. A psychological injury sustained from the way people lead and treat one another at work. Sadly, her story isn’t unique. It’s the lived reality of millions across workplaces today.

The Unspoken Sunday Evening Dread

You can almost sense it every Sunday evening. The sinking feeling that tomorrow is Monday. For some, it’s mild fatigue. For others, it’s anxiety, sleeplessness, even physical sickness. The mere thought of returning to their workplace triggers distress. Then there are those who count down to Friday, live for holidays, and dread every morning because it means stepping into a place that slowly drains their sense of self-worth. These are not isolated emotions. They are symptoms of workplace-inflicted trauma, a silent killer of motivation, creativity, and emotional well-being.

And the irony? Some of the most “successful” organizations, the ones topping performance charts are often the most traumatizing environments for their people. Behind such glossy reports and impressive profits lie teams gasping for psychological air.

Trapped by Necessity, Wounded by Leadership

Many employees cannot leave, even when the workplace breaks them. They have bills to pay, families to feed, or financial commitments tied to the very jobs that are harming them. They wear smiles in meetings, deliver results under pressure, and quietly suffer. The trauma festers, unseen and untreated, until burnout or breakdown becomes inevitable.

At the root of it all is one fundamental cause: leadership.

Toxic workplaces are not created by policies, they are created by people. It is leaders who model behaviors, set tones, and create atmospheres that either uplift or suffocate. A workplace becomes a source of trauma when leadership fails to humanize its people.

Healing Through Humanized Leadership

The question, then, is this: How can leaders create environments where employees feel valued, safe, and energized to contribute meaningfully?

Research, experience, and the reflections I share in my book Purposeful at Heart all point to a simple but powerful focus. Leadership is an act of love.

To heal workplace trauma and prevent it from recurring, leaders must:

Love their team members unconditionally – This is not sentimental love; it’s a deep commitment to the well-being, growth, and dignity of each person. When people feel loved, they stop working out of fear and start working from purpose.

Believe in their people – Many employees are traumatized not by what they do, but by leaders who don’t believe in them. When leaders communicate belief, they awaken confidence and courage in their teams.

Value people genuinely – Valuing someone goes beyond compensation. It’s about listening to them, respecting their perspectives, and recognizing their humanity. A valued employee thrives; an undervalued one withers.

When leaders cultivate such an environment, people wake up with energy and purpose. Work becomes not a burden but a meaningful part of life’s expression.

If you are a Leader, Reflect and Reimagine

The workplace should be a space for growth, creativity, and collaboration, not a source of trauma. Yet, unless leaders confront this reality, we risk normalizing emotional harm as a cost of doing business. It’s time organizations audit not just performance, but psychological climate. It’s time we measure not only productivity, but also people’s peace. Because in the end, sustainable success is built not on exhausted bodies or fearful hearts, but on inspired souls.

Leaders must ask themselves daily – Am I creating an environment where people flourish, or one where they flee emotionally? Only when we humanize leadership will we begin to heal the hidden wounds of workplace-inflicted trauma.