President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto at the Jomo
Kenyatta International Airport. Jubilee campaigned on a platform of
empowering the youth, which was reinforced significantly by the age of
the President and his deputy. It was expected that the youth would play
key roles in the new administration. FILE PHOTO |
NATION MEDIA GROUP
Although the Jubilee Government has been
praised for empowering the youth through various initiatives, the same
cannot be said about appointments to crucial positions, or the results
those initiatives have brought.
The recent appointments
to fill diplomatic positions, just as those made last year when
President Kenyatta and his deputy formed the government, left out the
youth and were, therefore, very disappointing.
Although
the two leaders have maintained they value the youth for their
productivity in providing services, they do not appreciate that their
engagement, based on the history of this country requires focused
affirmative action.
Rewarding cronies and politicians will only benefit the old guard who have enjoyed the system’s patronage for years.
With
each failure to include the youth in crucial decision-making positions,
it becomes clear the government is losing focus that will cost it
politically when this big constituency revolts.
Jubilee
campaigned on a platform of empowering the youth, which was reinforced
significantly by the age of the President and his deputy. It was
expected that the youth would play key roles in the new administration.
But
immediately the two formed the government, they not only refused to
appoint young people into the Cabinet or as principal secretaries and
parastatal heads, it also refused to form an independent ministry for
the youth.
TAKE MEASURES
Recently, Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku recalled 10,000 police retirees
to serve as agents of community policing. Does this demonstrate a
coordinated approach to issues involving the youth considering that the
Devolution ministry plans to reform the National Youth Service to play a
role in the ‘nyumba kumi’ policing initiative?
There
is a serious need to take measures to remedy the challenges facing the
youth, which have persisted for many years. First, the youth must be
involved in all economic policies and opportunities emerging in the
public service.
Today, young people aged between 18 and
34 account for 40 per cent of the population. The government’s
employment policy should reflect this.
SUPPORT PROGRAMMES
One
of the excuse always given is that the youth lack experience.
Government needs to put in place support programmes to give skills
required for jobs in the public service.
The private
sector offers a vital lesson that with an enabling environment, the
future of this country lies in the hands of young people.
During
the May, 2014 National Youth Convention, the Deputy President assured
the youth that the government was committed to ensuring young people
would be accorded more opportunities at all levels.
But, government actions seem to contradict its leaders’ public pronouncements.
And
without a clear focus on how to address youth problems, which are
ambiguously incorporated in various ministries and departments, all the
initiatives the government has started will not yield the desired
results.
The public tender system
which requires that 30 per cent of the jobs go to the youth has failed,
especially in remote counties, since those who mooted the idea failed
to appreciate there were other dynamics obtaining, such as past
marginalisation, as well as lack of information and finance.
Mr Obonyo is the external adviser on the UN Habitat’s Youth Advisory Board (raphojuma@hotmail.com)
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