Date: September 16, 2025
Time: 13:30 – 16:30 EAT
Location: YMCA, Nairobi, Kenya
Host Organization: Nuru Trust Network
The Code for Democracy event creates a youth-led civic tech and democracy dialogue platform that will directly engage Kenya’s brightest youth innovators in co-creating solutions to democratic challenges, while amplifying civic resilience and elevating youth voices into regional policy spaces. This event recognizes the realities of democracy while amplifying youth leadership and civic resilience. By hosting this event on September 16, 2025, Nuru Trust Network will create a monumental platform where Kenya’s most promising young innovators can directly engage with democratic processes and shape the future of governance.
This event is deeply rooted in Kenya’s current democratic realities. The backdrop is significant: youth-led protests in mid-2024, sparked by frustration over economic hardships, corruption, and governance failures, became some of the most visible demonstrations in the country’s recent history. These protests signalled a collective demand for inclusion and accountability. Hailing from underserved regions, students represent a demographic that is both deeply affected by systemic inequities and highly capable of designing innovative solutions. Despite challenges, youth unemployment standing at 13.4% and underemployment disproportionately affecting rural and peri-urban youth, These students bring cutting-edge technical skills rooted in lived democratic realities in technology, engineering, and digital services. Kenya’s population is over 60% under the age of 35. For a democratic state to thrive, this youth majority must be central to policy formulation and implementation. Youth inclusion in democratic processes is no longer aspirational; it is a governance necessity for a sustainable and representative future
This event takes a deliberate approach to inclusion by prioritizing gender balance and the participation of marginalized youth, including ensuring the meaningful involvement of young women, youth with disabilities, and students from historically underserved counties. By designing inclusive recruitment strategies and panel representation, the event aims to dismantle common access barriers and reflect the diversity of Kenya’s youth. Democracy must be inclusive by design, not by default.
Event Programme:
Part 1: Welcome & Opening Remarks
1:30 PM – 1:45 PM: Arrival & Networking
- Guests, panelists, and participants arrival
- Registration
1:45 PM – 2:00 PM: Welcome Speeches
- 1:45 PM – 1:50 PM: Welcome Address – Mary Yvonne Ododah, Nuru Trust Network
- 1:50 PM – 2:00 PM: Opening Remarks by Dr. Charles O. Wambia O.G.W, National Heroes Council of Kenya
Part 2: Innovation Presentations & Dialogue
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM: Innovation Pitches & Dialogue This session will showcase the civic-tech prototypes developed by the hackathon teams.
- 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM: Team Presentations (6 mins per team)
- Team 1 Presentation: Combating electoral misinformation.
- Team 2 Presentation: Inclusive voter education tools.
- Team 3 Presentation: Citizen feedback and accountability platforms.
- Team 4 Presentation: Leveraging open data for governance.
- Team 5 Presentation: Youth-led peacebuilding through tech.
- 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM: Q&A from Judges & the Floor
- The expert panel and audience will engage with the teams, asking questions about their prototypes, sustainability, and potential for impact.
- 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM: Panel Discussion: Civic Inclusion
- A panel discussion will explore how civic tech can intentionally include young women, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups, ensuring they are active designers of democratic solutions.
Part 3: Intergenerational Dialogue & Awards
3:45 PM – 4:45 PM: Keynote Dialogue & Awards
- 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM: Intergenerational Dialogue
- A dynamic conversation exploring how to bridge civic wisdom with digital innovation to create lasting democratic solutions.
- 4:15 PM – 4:30 PM: Awarding of Winners
- The winning team will be announced and recognized for their outstanding civic-tech prototypes, celebrating their innovative solutions.
- 4:30 PM – 4:45 PM: Closing Remarks & Next Steps
- A final summary of key takeaways and a look ahead to the next steps for piloting the winning prototype.