Sakaja- who is the also the Chairperson of the Kenya Young Parliamentarians Association, noted that there exists no common front from which youth leaders among them legislators can address matters affecting the youth across the country/CFM NEWS
MOMBASA, Kenya May 21 – Young Legislators from both the national and county assemblies have been urged to institutionalize the youth caucus so as to help improve capacity among themselves and have a common front while addressing youth issues.
Speaking at a side event for young legislators in the on-going 3rd Annual Legislative Summit, Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja- who is the also the Chairperson of the Kenya Young Parliamentarians Association, noted that there exists no common front from which youth leaders among them legislators can address matters affecting the youth across the country.
County Assemblies’ Forum Chairperson Johnson Osoi urged the county legislators to forge a working relationship with the Kenya Young Parliamentarians Association and other youth oriented groups so as to improve capacity for both elected and nominated Members of the County Assemblies.
Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Council Raymond Ochieng’ noted that young legislators are the vanguards of the youth agenda and called upon the legislators to revamp the National Youth Council by amending the NYS Act.
He observed that the government had over the years failed to allocate adequate resources to the youth programmes that would be instrumental in addressing the question of the ballooning youth unemployment rate in the country.
“The youth programs are not adequately funded. There exists confusion as to which level of government should fund youth programs.” he remarked.
He appealed for an audit into the implementation status of youth policies especially in regards to the access to government procurement.
Ochieng said that despite 11th Parliament enacting changes to the PFM Act there had been a slow uptake because most ministries and parastatal have not lived up to a requirement by the law which compels them to grant youth, women and disabled persons 30 per cent of all State tenders.
The Forum noted that resolved to petition the two levels of government to consider revising the fees required for one to access procurement opportunities because many young people do not have adequate resources to undertake their project ideas.
About The Author
