1651 Copyright © 2015, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. Chapter 84 DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-8358-7.ch084 Social Media and Youth Interest in Politics in Kenya ABSTRACT The youth in Kenya are by far the majority age-group, yet their role in politics is hampered by their inability to access mainstream political information. The objective of the study is to determine whether there is any relationship between the level of youth engagement on social media and their level of in- terest in politics. The study uses the post-test quasi experiment to compare political interest between a naturally occurring group of Facebook users and a naturally occurring group of non-Facebook users. The fndings of the study reveal that Facebook has provided the youth with a platform where they can access political information in formats that are appealing to them. Consequently, young people have been able to mobilise themselves online and push for a political agenda. There is, therefore, need to open up online exchanges in order to create a place for young people in mainstream political discourse in Kenya. INTRODUCTION Kenya gained independence from Britain in 1963 and has since experienced autocratic single-party regimes, a failed coup, pluralistic democracy (multi-partism), ethnic conflicts, and a contested presidential election that left the country on the brink of civil war. Throughout this period, the Kenyan youth have been sidelined, making them gullible to the machinations of politicians (Siurala, 2002; Forbrig, 2005; Kenya National Assembly, 2007). During Kenya’s post-election violence in 2007/2008, as indeed in other political theatre in the country, the youth tend to be more relevant as instruments for achieving goals defined by, and relevant to, the much older politicians, rather than using their numbers to direct political discourse and subsequently electoral outcomes. No doubt, such a power arrangement often undermines youth interests, and renders the most significant Kenyan demographic largely powerless in national politics. It has been argued that the Kenyan youth face many hurdles that often undermine their ability to fully play their role in the country’s politics Auma Churchill Moses Otieno Nation Media Group, Kenya Lusike Lynete Mukhongo Moi University, Kenya