Government Spokesman Col. Rtd. Cyrus Oguna outlined nine programs which he wants the youth to take advantage of /PHOTO – Njoki Kihiu
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 6-The government is now calling on youths to form groups and seek government programs and funds saying it is easier because the group acts as security.
Speaking during a press conference on Thursday, the Government Spokesman Col. Rtd. Cyrus Oguna said the government is determined to empower the youth and reduce the rate of unemployment.
“As we continue to develop, we must appreciate that development of any kind does not just happen, it is made to happen. For our development to be sustainable, we must invest in the youth; the greatest national resource,” he said.
“As the country embarks on the path of 56th year of self-rule, the government wishes to recommit itself to its goal of empowering the youth. Youth empowerment has remained a priority area for the government with the understanding that a country that does not empower its youth has no future.”
Oguna added that the government has consistently rolled out various programs and initiatives to achieve its goal.
He outlined nine programs which he wants the youth to take advantage of including the National Youth Service, Uwezo Fund, Constituency Empowerment Scheme among others.
For the Uwezo Fund which targets to assist the youth on entrepreneurship, Ksh. 5.97b Oguna said has been approved and 65,350 groups have already benefited, out of this, 22,000 are youth groups.
He further urged the young people to stop being selective with jobs adding that the government has already disbursed 5 billion loans to youth groups to invest in agri-business among other projects.
“As a government we acknowledge that challenges in job creation exist. However, our economy has continued to grow both in informal and formal sectors. We therefore urge Kenyans and especially the youth to embrace the culture of hard work and not be selective about jobs. Let this be a new dawn during which we are not only renewing our patriotism to motherland but one which we want to relive the clarion call of ‘Uhuru na Kazi’,” Oguna said.
According to survey by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics in 2018, 7 million Kenyans were unemployed with 1.4 million out of this figure desperately looking for jobs and 70 percent were youths below 35 years of age.
