Nairobi — Winnie Odinga has called on leaders and older generations to stop reducing young people to "phone fixers" and instead give them real space to shape Kenya's future.
Speaking during an event honoring her father the late Raila Odinga's legacy on International Human Rights Day, Winnie said Kenyan youth feel ignored, undervalued and boxed into stereotypes that limit their potential.
She said young people are exposed to a global world where they are told they are smart, capable and worthy yet at home they are treated as if their only skill is repairing gadgets.
"When you have a problem with your phone, you always ask a young person to fix it.
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They do it in one minute, but that is not all they are good for. They need more space," she said.
Winnie described Kenya as facing a "crisis of generations", where older leaders keep shifting the goalposts whenever the youth try to step forward.
She said this constant dismissal is pushing many young people to withdraw from politics and public life.
She noted that while some youth take to the streets to demand inclusion, many others have simply "checked out" because they feel the system is not fair and their voices don't matter.
"These young people are angry. They are not trying to burn down the house -- they just want to be listened to," she said.
Winnie also highlighted double standards that young women face, saying society calls them "disrespectful" for asking tough questions while praising men for the same behavior.
She urged leaders to embrace equality, humor and openness, saying change does not always have to come through conflict.
Winnie praised her father for teaching that leadership is not about titles but showing up, listening, and fighting for what is right.
She called on Kenyans to apply those lessons today and to build a country where all generations sit at the same table and help design the future together.
"Bullets don't bring smiles. We are all human, all equal. Let's stop the lip service and start acting," she said.
