The envoy said the integrity of an election ultimately depends on political will rather than circumstance.
In an exit interview after a five-year tour of duty in Nairobi, Maddens said a free and fair election was "a political choice".
He called for higher voter participation to give the next president a stronger democratic mandate.
"A clean election is a political choice," Maddens said.
"Every country has challenges. Every democracy faces difficult moments. But ultimately, conducting a peaceful, credible and inclusive election is a decision made by political leaders, institutions and citizens. It doesn't happen automatically. It's a choice."
His remarks come as campaigns intensify ahead of the August 102027 elections, with, electoral reforms and the credibility of the IEBC already dominating political debate.
The ambassador also urged young people to register as voters, arguing that widespread voter apathy during the 2022 General Election weakened the electoral mandate.
Maddens is returning to Brussels as the Director of the Africa Department at the Ministry headquarters.
According to the Diplomat, the 2022 apathy contributed to frustrations that later manifested in the Gen Z protests.
"The biggest mistake young people made wasn't in 2024. It was in 2022. It was voter apathy," he said.
According to Maddens, nearly half of eligible voters did not register, while many of those who registered failed to cast their ballots.
"The President was elected according to the rules, and the rules are what they are. But you can understand where the frustration comes from when so many people stayed away from the ballot," he said.
He said every opportunity he gets to engage young people, he encourages them to participate in elections.
"Please, please, please register to vote," he said.
"Kenya needs an election with a strong turnout because whoever becomes president needs a genuine mandate. These are difficult times. You don't want a president whose authority is weakened simply because too few people participated."
Reflecting on the Gen Z demonstrations that rocked Kenya in June 2024, Maddens described the movement as part of a broader global trend of youth-led activism.
However, he said, insistence on being "leaderless" ultimately undermined Gen Z’s ability to influence decision-making.
"I think they made a mistake by insisting they were leaderless".
"That created a space where they could simply be ignored. If there's nobody to engage with, governments can choose not to engage at all."
He said the absence of recognised leadership made it easier for the movement to lose momentum over time.
The envoy, however, praised what he described as one of the movement's defining characteristics—its rejection of ethnic politics.
When Kenya's young people described themselves as "tribeless, leaderless and fearless", he said, the emphasis on being "tribeless" represented an important milestone in the country's political evolution.
"I think 'tribeless' was hugely significant. That's a major step forward for Kenya," he said.
Drawing parallels with Belgium, a country with deep linguistic and cultural divisions, Maddens said diverse societies can thrive when citizens commit to common institutions and agreed rules.
"I think Kenyans are ready to be done with tribal politics," he said, adding that there have been clear signals on the same.
He pointed to the 2018 handshake between former President Uhuru Kenyatta and the late opposition leader Raila Odinga, the Gen Z movement's rejection of tribal identity and the issues-based nature of much of the 2022 presidential campaign.
"I don't want to say Kenya is already there because that's not for me to say. But I think there is growing acceptance that the country is ready to move beyond tribal politics."
Maddens said Kenya's democratic progress and political stability remain among the reasons it continues to enjoy strong international partnerships.
He said the country's strategic position in East Africa, combined with its vibrant democratic debate, makes it an important partner for Belgium and the wider European Union.
Maddens said his hope is that Kenyans will continue strengthening democratic institutions by participating fully in elections and safeguarding the credibility of the electoral process.
"The next president, whoever that may be, needs a genuine mandate," he said.
"That begins with citizens registering, voting and ensuring the election reflects the will of the people."
