Maina Kageni: Anyone above 50 is too old to lead Kenya

Veteran media personality Maina Kageni has proposed that no one above the age of 50 should hold a position in government, including the presidency.

Speaking on a local radio station on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, Kageni argued that older leaders often lack understanding of modern systems and technology, making it difficult for them to effectively guide the country in today’s fast-paced environment.

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“I believe there should be no one in government older than 50. First of all, these people do not understand modern systems and ICT. Fifty should be the oldest. If you are 51, you should not be able to vie for president in Kenya. Hawa vijana watachukua uongozi lini?”

He urged young Kenyans to seize the moment and step into leadership roles, warning that delaying action could result in missed opportunities and long-term regret.

Kageni pointed to examples from around the world where young leaders have assumed power, highlighting presidents such as Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso, Daniel Noboa of Ecuador, and the current leader of Chad.

These examples, he said, demonstrate that age is not a barrier to effective leadership and that the so-called leaders of tomorrow are already shaping nations today.

“Let me tell you something, young people: this is your time. If you do not seize this moment, it will pass by, and you will regret it forever. I just went through a list of the youngest presidents in the world. Number one is Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso; he is 37 now and took power four years ago at 33. Who told you they are the leaders of tomorrow? Tomorrow is now. Daniel Noboa, president of Ecuador, is 37 and took over when he was 30. The best part in Africa is the western coast, because they also had the president of Chad, who is 41,” he said.

Radio career

Reflecting on his own career, Kageni noted that he was fortunate to achieve success at a young age, having started in media at 24.

He used his personal journey to emphasise that youth can accomplish remarkable feats if given the chance and encouraged his audience not to wait for permission or for older generations to step aside.

“You know, if you refuse to hand over, the young people will take over. Young people, if you want my job, it can be yours tomorrow. I was lucky when I got this job at a very young age; I was just 24. My youth came to be, what about you? Do not talk about taking time to learn. How long should they take to learn?”