THE ROLE OF YOUTH IN PUBLIC POLICY MAKING IN GAROWE

EAST AFRICA UNIVERSITY

AHMED ABDULKADIR ALI

EAUGRW0000553

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF SOCIAL

SCIENCE AND ECONOMIC IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF

THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF BACHELOR

DEGREE IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRION OF THE

EAST AFRICA UNIVERSIRTY

JULY –2020
 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this thesis with entitled: “Role of youth in public policy
making in Garowe” is entirely my original work, not that of another author,
and that it has not been submitted before to any other university or institution
of higher learning for the award of a degree. So this book cannot be used in
any kind without permission of East Africa University.

The Researcher
Ahmed Abdulkadir Ali

Signature: ___________________________

Date___________/________/____________
 APPROVAL
This thesis entitled “Role of youth in public policy making in Garowe” has
been done under my supervision as East Africa University supervisor and
submitted to the Faculty of Business and management; Department of
Accounting and finance of East Africa University with my approval.

Supervisor: Luqman Yasin Gelle

Signed: ____________________________________

Date: ___________/_________/_________________
 DEDICATION

This research is dedicated to my beloved mother Hawa Abdikariim Caduur

and My beloved father Abdulkadir Ali who has always been there for me in all
difficult times to support and encourage me, and all family and friends for
their being so close to support me and class mates with whom we shared the
great skills of learning and materials as well.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First and foremost, all Praise is to Almighty Allah; the Merciful and The
Provider, who makes all things done in their appropriate time.

I wish to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to my

supervisor Luqman Yasin Gelle for his professionally guidance and
encouragement from the starting point to the end and heartedly
contributed a lot towards the success of this research project. Without
supervision of his directing, this research work would not have been
easy to accomplish.

I would like to express my heart-felt gratitude to my families and friend

who contributes a lot to my success for financial and moral support
and standing on side right hand encouragement especially my brother
Mohamed Abdulkadir Ali and my friend Khalid Abdiaziz Abdulle.

My best regards extend to my entire lecturers at East Africa University

in particularly; the Department of public administration whose teach
me good knowledge about everything concerned courses, research and
hardworking.

Last but not least I would like my heartfelt thanks go to everyone who
have partly my back-up in encouragement during entire research
proposal.
TABLE OF CONTENT

DECLARATION...............................................................................................II

APPROVAL.....................................................................................................III

DEDICATION.................................................................................................IV

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT................................................................................V

TABLE OF CONTENT...................................................................................VI

LIST OF TABLES...........................................................................................IX

ABSTRACT......................................................................................................X

CHAPTER ONE................................................................................................1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE..................................................................1

INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................1

Background of the Study................................................................................1

Statement of the Problem...............................................................................3

Purpose of the Study.......................................................................................4

Research Objectives.......................................................................................4

The General objectives...................................................................................4

Specific objectives......................................................................................4

Research Questions........................................................................................4

Scope..............................................................................................................5

Significance of the Study................................................................................5

–Conceptual Frame Work...............................................................................6

CHAPTER TWO...............................................................................................7

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE.........................................................7

 Introduction....................................................................................................7

Concepts of Youth..........................................................................................7

THEORITICAL FRAME WORK..................................................................8

Related studies.................................................................................................11

Research Gap...................................................................................................11

CHAPTER THREE:.........................................................................................13

METHODOLOGY...........................................................................................13

Introduction..................................................................................................13

Research Design...........................................................................................13

Research Population.....................................................................................13

Target population: -...............................................................................13

Sample Size...............................................................................................14

Sampling Procedure: -.......................................................................15

Research Instrument: -..........................................................................15

Validity and Reliability of the Instrument -..............................................15

Validity:....................................................................................................15

Reliability:................................................................................................15

Data Gathering Procedures:..........................................................................16

Before the administration of the questionnaires:......................................16

During the administration of the questionnaires:......................................16

After the administration of the questionnaires:.........................................16

Data Analysis:...........................................................................................16

Ethical Considerations:.................................................................................17

Permission to conduct the research:..........................................................17

 Informed Consent:....................................................................................17

Confidentiality and secrecy:.....................................................................17

CHAPTER FOUR............................................................................................18

PRESENTATIONS, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA.....18

Introduction......................................................................................................18

Demographic of the respondents......................................................................18

Objective one: determination the perception of the youth their role in politics
..........................................................................................................................20

Objective two: opportunities that the youth have in order to participate the
politics..............................................................................................................24

Objective three: challenges that face the youth that want to participate the
politics..............................................................................................................28

CHAPTER FIVE..............................................................................................32

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.............................................32

Conclusion........................................................................................................32

Objective one: determination the perception of the youth...............................32

Recommendations............................................................................................33

References........................................................................................................34

APPENDIX 1...................................................................................................36
LIST OF TABLES
Table 3. 1 Target population...................................................................................13
Table 3. 2 Sample Size.............................................................................................14
Y

Table 4. 1Gender......................................................................................................18
Table 4. 2Age............................................................................................................18
Table 4. 3 Marital Status.........................................................................................19
Table 4. 4 Education level........................................................................................19
Table 4. 5..................................................................................................................20
Table 4. 6..................................................................................................................20
Table 4. 7..................................................................................................................21
Table 4. 8..................................................................................................................22
Table 4. 9..................................................................................................................22
Table 4. 10................................................................................................................23
Table 4. 11................................................................................................................23
Table 4. 12................................................................................................................24
Table 4. 13................................................................................................................24
Table 4. 14................................................................................................................25
Table 4. 15................................................................................................................25
Table 4. 16................................................................................................................26
Table 4. 17................................................................................................................26
Table 4. 18................................................................................................................27
Table 4. 19................................................................................................................28
Table 4. 20................................................................................................................28
Table 4. 21................................................................................................................29
Table 4. 22................................................................................................................29
Table 4. 23................................................................................................................30
Table 4. 24................................................................................................................30
ABSTRACT
The purpose of the study was to th role of youth in public policy making in
Garowe basing on the following objectives; to determine the perception of the
youth their role in policy making, to find out the opportunities that the youth
have in order to participate the policy making, to find out the challenges that
face the youth that want to participate the policy making.
Research design is the specific method a researcher uses to collect analyses
and interpret data. The study took both qualitative and quantitative approach in
that it will be based on variables measured with numbers and analyzed with
statistical procedures. The sample size of 40 was determined by Sloven’s
formula. Data was both primary and secondary. Primary data was collected by
the use of questionnaires and secondary data was got from reports, journals,
and internet. The first objective was to determine the perception of the youth,
the above findings shows that the youth have moral and good motivation to
participate public policies and the community have some strategies to youth to
participate public policies and the statements are mostly answered agree.

The second objective was To find out the opportunities that the youth have in
order to participate the public policy and all of the statements are majorly
replied agree that youth have more opportunities to participate public policy as
the respondents replied and this opportunities is to be benefited, because an
old proverb says opportunity knocks the door once not twice.The third
objective was to find out the challenges that face the youth that want to
participate the public policy and there was challenges of the youth, the most
respondents agreed that these challenges are against youth to participate public
policy. Most people agreed that youth have golden opportunities to participate
public policies such as education and they must prepare to take these
advantages. Also there are some challenges that face the youth and have
solutions such as to advocate people.
 CHAPTER ONE

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

INTRODUCTION
This chapter discusses the background, statement of problem, purpose and significance of
the study, objectives of study, research questions, scope and operational definitions.

Background of the Study

Policy making is one of the most vital tools to promote good governance, strengthens policy
inclusion and democracy. As argued by Flanagan & Sherrod “The evaluative role of young
people in negotiating the policy realities of their social order and in creating change in the
process” (Flanagan& Sherrod, 1998). However, the importance of youth Policy making is
having little attention by citizens to have equal rights to participate in policy affairs without
exclusion. Even though, Policy equality should be given every society has to same rights in
policy activities.

(Isakson 2010) said it is, unluckily the idea of „one man one vote‟ is not enough to confirm
policy fairness in this wisdom; because one takes to the explanation of who joins in the policy
development and whose favorites are signified in policies and claimed that extensive
participation in politics, well-defined as voter performances to affect the choice of or the
activities engaged by policy representatives, had a fundamental democratic value (Isaksson
2010).

According to the results of the survey titled “Participation of Youth in Politics in Turkey”
conducted in 1999, 2003 and 2008; the voting turnout (voting rate) among Turkish youth,
which is the most common form of policy participation, was measured as 62% in 1999, 53%
in 2003 and 48% in 2008, even though this rate may seem little bit higher than the world
average (Çaha, 2018).

Can a democratic system and its institutions function, if the Policy making of the citizens
constantly decreases? Young people in Puntland have more interest to participate the policy
authorities but the system that exists doesn’t allow the youth to take their party, the
government is elected through parliamentary system that is centralized and ruled by elders
that doesn’t want to make democratic system.

Our society is oral society and talks about their chances to discuss politics and what’s going
on their countries and all over the world. The number of youth that have more interest are
increasing day after day but the youth that are participating are few, so we are investigating
the solution of that problem.

Puntland state of Somalia was established in August 1998 as an autonomous regional

government and part of the future federal state of Somalia. The consultative formation
process was comprehensive with traditional elders and local leaders laying the foundation of
the state. A clan based policy structure emerged with the administrative body of the
government consisting of the legislature, judiciary and executive arms. Since then, five
Presidential Elections have been held.

However, these elections have been conducted through clan based system where traditional
elders “Isimo” select sixty six (66) members of parliament who later elect the President, vice
president and speaker of the parliament. The process of constitutionalizing democratic
elections in Puntland began in 2008 under President Adde Muse's through a draft constitution
which was later adopted following a constituent assembly vote during President Farole's
administration. The government enacted the new electoral law that culminated in the
establishment of a nine member Transitional Puntland Electoral Commission.

The first democratic local council elections were then slated for July 2013 but just a day
before the polls, there was violence in Qardho and Galkayo towns leaving at least three
people dead and resulting in the indefinite postponement of the elections, which were to be
the first democratic election in Puntland since 1969. Consequently, clan elders stepped in and
resorted back to clan based system in selecting members of parliament who then elected the
Abdiweli Gas President, Vice President and Speaker of the Parliament. Gaas has not made
the required efforts to make democratic system but he tried and made some parties but
doesn’t work in Puntland, still in Puntland is passed on parliamentary system that come from
elders, few months ago Mr. Deni was elected as president of Puntland, Mr. Ahmed Karash as
vice president and Mr. Abdirashid as Speaker of the Parliament.

It is against this backdrop that this paper seeks to explore the perception and expectations of
the citizens in Puntland towards this democratization process. Further, it seeks to identify the
fundamental issues that need to be addressed prior to the commencement of this process and
to provide a basis for public dialogue, which will ensure an evidence based policy making
process.

The study was focuses therefore; how do young people perceive their Policy making and their
opportunities for participation? Clearly, the Policy making of young people, as a very
important and complex subject, deserves the great attention it should get. This study
investigates the perceptions, motives and opportunities young people have when they policy
participate. The thesis does so by asking young people about the types of Policy making they
use, their perceptions of politics, motivations for participation, understanding and attitude
towards the elections.

Statement of the Problem

Third world states, especially Africa and Asia continents have witnessed serious and
big challenges of internal and external infrastructure since independence era and up to now.
As for internal problems, we find that, African states suffer from policy problems resulted
from weakness of national unity, national affiliation and control made by tribal and ethnical
affiliation (jones 2014).

Therefore, the continent involved in very serious conflicts and civil war. In this
connection, most of African states witnessed civil wars and serious conflicts in which a lot of
Youth have lost their lives in Somali, Nigeria, Liberia, Rwanda, Congo and Kenya, in
addition to the phenomena of policy instability and military coup took place in Mauritania,
Chad, Somali and so on (Jones 2014).

Despite the systematic democratic practice in Somalia was questionable during past
decades and therefore it needs to provide policy and scholarly insights into the ways we think
about Somali leadership and democracy. Samatar notes that the arena of 20-century African
politics, for instance, Somalia 1960 has fared well. No coups, no civil wars, no internecine
splits have marred its nine-year history (Samatar, 2016).The young people of Somalia have
been experiencing the marginalization of Policy making by age restriction. With due respect,
I argue that this study was very critical to know how Somali youths understand their future
role in policy participation. (Samatar, 2016)
 Puntland was formed by elders and the number of youth that participated politics was
few, but the number was increasing day after day but there was many challenges that faced
the youth, also there are many opportunities that the youth have (Wiki 2009).

Inadequate researches has been conducted to relate how youth can participate in public
policy making practices, this study seeks explanations for this questions how Puntland
youth(s) understand their role of participation in various policy activities.

Purpose of the Study

The study investigated the role of youth in policy making and how to motivate young people
to participate and take their role toward policy making.

Research Objectives
The General objectives
This study investigated the role of youth in policy making and how to motivate to participate
policy making because youth are manpower of every society and their participation creates
new development in Puntland.

Specific objectives
1. To determine the perception of the youth their role in policy making.
2. To find out the opportunities that the youth have in order to participate the
policy making.
3. To find out the challenges that face the youth that want to participate the
policy making.

Research Questions
1. What is the perception of the youth their role in policy making?
2. What are the opportunities that the youth have in order to participate the
policy making?
3. What are the challenges that face the youth that want to participate the
policy making?
Scope
This research was carried in Puntland specifically the capital city of Puntland Garowe, the
study focused selected youth organizations and young people that are politicians and those
who are willing to be policy makers. The scope of the study is to investigate the effect of the
youth in Policy making.

This study is mainly focused on the role of the youth in policy making, making and how they
overcome these challenges.

The time of the scope is 1st May up to July 2019.

Significance of the Study

The beneficiaries of this study are government, youth organization, young politicians and
universities.

Government: The government benefits this study in order to know the perception of
young people, what the youth are willing from the government and how the government
will plan the future leaders of the state.

Youth organizations: these organization work empowerment of youth they motivate the
youth to participate the politics, this study shows how they will motivate, how to solve
the challenges that face the youth to participate the politics.

Young politicians: young politicians are two categories, those who are active and have
positions in the government and those who are inactive but they are willing to participate
the politics, the study will help to solve the challenges that face and benefit the
opportunities that they have.

Universities: These are where youth are graduating and where politicians are coming
from, the study shows hot these young people can be motivated and how to solve what
discourages these youths.
–Conceptual Frame Work
Since the current study will investigate the role of youth in public policy making, the
independent variable is youth and the dependent variable is also public policy making.

IV DV