13/08/2026
MOMBASA YOUTH RISING: DIFFERENT CONTEXTS WITH COMMON ASPIRATIONS.
What a day! What a statement! What a powerful demonstration of the energy, creativity and determination of young people in Mombasa.
Manyatta Africa was proud to be a key stakeholder in the planning and ex*****on of a colourful International Youth Day 2026 celebration that brought together close to 1,000 young people from across Mombasa County.
The day began with a vibrant youth procession from Sabasaba to Tononoka Hall, turning the streets into a powerful expression of youth energy, unity and hope. From there, the celebration came alive through edutainment, music, dance, theatre and creative expression, with our very own super-talented Anika Band leading the way alongside other incredible creatives.
But beyond the colour, music and celebration was something even more powerful, a candid and courageous dialogue between young people, stakeholders and the County Government Of Mombasa Department Youth Gender Sports001 led by H.E. Governor Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir.
The Governor took time to share his administration's ongoing efforts towards youth development, including Mombasa Yangu, as well as the proposed value-added Skill Mtaani initiative, which promises to create more pathways for young people to acquire practical skills and opportunities.
As affirmed by Our Executive Director, Mr. Nicholas Songora, HSC, for us at Manyatta Africa, the most important outcome was not simply the celebration, it was the commitments made. One of the key actionable takeaways was the commitment by the Governor and Members of the County Assembly present to move forward with the enactment of the Mombasa County Youth Policy. This policy is long overdue. Young people cannot continue to wait indefinitely for frameworks that institutionalise their participation, representation, opportunities and meaningful contribution to the development of Mombasa.
The time is now. The urgency is real. The commitment must translate into action. We therefore welcome the commitment and look forward to seeing the Youth Policy move from promise to legislation and, ultimately, to implementation that delivers tangible results for young people across the County.
We also welcome the Governor's commitment and directive that the Mombasa County Creative Economy Taskforce report must be inclusive, publicly presented and subjected to broader ownership. We particularly appreciate the commitment to have the report presented to the Governor after opening up the process to creatives and stakeholders from across the county to participate, engage and take ownership of the next phase.
For us, this is critical. A creative economy cannot be built without the creatives. The voices, experiences, ideas and aspirations of artists, cultural practitioners, content creators, innovators and other players within the creative ecosystem must remain at the centre of the process.
Our message from Mombasa, to the rest of the world; International Youth Day 2026 reminded us that while young people live in different contexts, we share common aspirations. We want opportunity.We want dignity. We want inclusion. We want peace. We want platforms to create and innovate. We want to participate in decisions that shape our future. And we are ready to turn those aspirations into action.
To every young person who marched, performed, spoke, listened, challenged, dreamed and participated, this is your moment. To the partners, stakeholders, creatives, youth leaders and the Mombasa County Administration, thank you for creating a platform where young people could be heard.
And to our incredible Anika Band, Anika Community Media and the entire Manyatta Africa creative family at Anika Community Hub, Great Partners YADEN East Africa thank you for once again demonstrating and supporting the transformative power of creativity. Let the celebration end, but let the action begin. Manyatta Africa, Empowering young people. Strengthening communities. Shaping a resilient future.
fans ForumCiv Eastern & Southern Aga Khan Foundation National Counter Terrorism Centre - Kenya Ford Foundation The Goldin Institute Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Kenya Office CounterTerrorism Policing Kenya Embassy of Sweden in Nairobi
