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Kibaki gives direction to the youth

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 24 – President Mwai Kibaki has advised Kenyan youths to avoid lifestyles that could jeopardise their success in future endeavours.
 
The President said the youth should guard against activities that could ruin their education such as drug and substance abuse, HIV/Aids and early pregnancies.
 
To succeed in countering the threats, the Head of State encouraged the youth to embrace discipline, good morals and healthy relationships.
 
President Kibaki emphasised that a solid foundation in education would enable the youth to fully utilise their intellectual and creative abilities while at the same time being able to compete favourably for professional and business opportunities both locally and internationally.
 
"The greatest heritage we can bestow on our youth is quality education.  The Government has invested heavily in the education sector by providing free primary education and subsidising secondary education," said the Head of State.
 
He noted, "In addition, we introduced subsidised tuition fees in registered Youth Polytechnics to increase enrollment and enhance retention.  So far, more than 52,000 trainees in public polytechnics have benefited from this programme at a cost of Sh1.36 billion." 
 
President Kibaki, who is the patron of the Kenya Scouts Association, spoke on Wednesday when he presided over the Scouts Patron Day at the State House Gardens in Nairobi. The occasion also marked 100 years since the start of scouting in Kenya.
 
During the occasion, President Kibaki also presented awards and honours to people who have served the scouting movement in the country with dedication, including the late former Youth and Sports Permanent Secretary Major (rtd) Kinuthia Murugu who was awarded a Platinum Award posthumously.
 
Praising the Scouts movement for its immense contribution in character formation of thousands of the country\’s youth, the President noted that the Government had significantly invested in programmes aimed at empowering them.
 
The Head of State said that essential principles emphasised by the Scouts Movement such as duty to God, duty to others and duty to oneself among other values enshrined in the Scouts law are important ethics for the development of sound character among the Kenyan youths.
 
He acknowledged that the movement had substantially contributed towards developing a generation of young people who are not only hardworking, patriotic and peace-loving but also mindful of the less fortunate members of the society.
 
"I note that over the last 100 years, scouting has continued to contribute greatly to the character formation of thousands of our nation\’s youth," remarked the Head of State.
 
President Kibaki hailed the tremendous growth achieved by scouting making it one of the largest youth organisation in Kenya and in the continent.
 
Said the President: "As will be recalled, the first Scout\’s troop in Kenya which marked the birth of Scouting in this country was started at St. John\’s Church, Pumwani, on 24th November 1910.  After this, scouting rapidly spread across the country and has grown tremendously over the years. It is encouraging that today there are over 400,000 Boy Scouts and Girls Guides as well as over 30,000 scouts leaders in the country."
 
The Head of State encouraged the youth to preoccupy themselves with recreational engagements that add value to their lives particularly games and sports.
 
"Young athletes have brought great glory to our country and they should be emulated.  Music and drama as well as other forms of fine arts can also go a long way to occupy and engage the youth productively," he observed.
 
In this regard, the President urged parents, teachers and adults to set good examples for the youth and as well strive to guide and mentor them appropriately.
 
Speaking during the occasion, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, who is also the Kenya Scouts Association\’s Chief Commissioner, thanked President Kibaki for supporting the scouts.
 
The Vice-President challenged the scouts in the country to utilise the virtues they have learned in tackling challenges both at personal and national levels.
 
Chief Scout Francis Ole Kaparo urged more young people in the country to join the scout movement, saying scouting has the potential of curbing vices such as negative ethnicity and corruption by cultivating the virtues of honesty and friendliness.

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