Ademba Allans, the lead of the #TukoKadi voter registration campaign, has criticised politicians for attempting to hijack the youth-led movement, insisting it is a citizen-driven initiative aimed at boosting voter participation and holding leaders accountable.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV, Ademba described the initiative as a long-term civic mobilisation effort designed to encourage young people to register as voters ahead of the 2027 General Election.
“It is a force to reckon with. TukoKadi is here to make change. Today, tomorrow, 2027, and forever,” he said.
The campaign, launched as a citizen-led mass voter registration drive, seeks to mobilise Kenyans to sign up at centres established by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Ademba said the movement has grown organically across the country, countering the perception that young people do not participate in elections.
He took issue with politicians, including President William Ruto, who have recently adopted similar slogans encouraging voter registration. Ademba argued that the initiative is meant to empower citizens independently of political influence.
“It was intellectual theft when our president came and said ‘Niko Kadi’. Bro, uko kadi ya nini? We are here to get you out,” Ademba said, warning political leaders against interfering with the campaign.
He added that the movement extends beyond registration to civic education and voter turnout. “People have to take the vote, know the voting process, get civic education, then people have to turn up for voting,” he said.
Also appearing on the panel, youth leader Sophie Njehia described #TukoKadi as a Gen Z-driven platform focused on constitutional change through the ballot. She argued that street protests have not delivered meaningful outcomes for young people.
“We decided that we are going to pursue the constitutional way, which is getting Ruto out on the ballot. Not only Ruto, but also every single MP who has let the people of Kenya down. It is the system that we are uprooting,” she said.
Njehia said the initiative represents a collective of young Kenyans pushing for governance reforms, improved services, and accountability. She emphasized that voter registration and turnout remain the most effective tools for political change.
Ademba said the campaign began after he accompanied a friend to a voter registration centre, inspiring him to mobilise others. He maintained that the movement would remain citizen-led and independent of political funding.
“To any politician out there… we don’t want you anywhere in the picture. This is not a politician-led mass voter registration; this is a citizen-led mass voter registration,” he said.
