NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 3 – Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has challenged the youth to continue asking hard questions on the country’s governance assuring them of proactive response to their concerns.
As they push for a better country, the DP urged them to avoid violence and exploitation by those keen to bring the country down.
“Ask us and everyone in leadership the hard questions. Demand better services. If you think we are not handling public affairs correctly, ask the questions but I plead with you not to allow yourself to be taken advantage of to destroy your country because it will defeat the whole purpose of expressing your concerns,” the DP said.
Kindiki spoke on Tuesday when he engaged with youth leaders, artists, content creators and musicians from Embu County at home in Irunduni, Tharaka Nithi County.
The second-in-command highlighted the crucial role the youth play in the nation’s wellbeing as the custodians of the country’s stature presently and in the future.
“Don’t accept to be misused by older folks to destroy your country. You need a peaceful country and a good economy so that when you clear school, you can get a job or start a business in a conducive environment,” he noted.
The DP informed them that the Kenya Kwanza administration is deliberately finding solutions to the challenges facing the youth including unemployment which remains a stumbling block to the country’s progress.
Other vices such as corruption, misuse of public resources are also being tackled to ascertain the nation’s socio-economic growth.
“We have come up with programs to reduce the number of jobless young people as we tackle unemployment head on. This is a historic challenge which we have decided to take on through deliberate interventions,” DP stated.
The programs entail the Kazi Kwa Ground initiative that aims to create jobs and opportunities through affordable housing projects, construction of modern markets and hostels, expansion of the education sector through employment of more teachers among others.
The Kazi Mtandaoni is geared at equipping the youth with requisite skills to take advantage of online job opportunities. Kazi Majuu has already seen hundreds of thousands of youth fly to work in foreign countries following inking of bilateral labour agreements with Kenya.
“This is how to transform Kenya. You don’t just say there is a problem without providing a solution. We are providing real solutions to the jobs challenge, not just lamenting. That is the difference between us and our opponents,” DP said.
The DP said in preparation for the job market, the administration has overhauled the education system from the bottom in order to align it with the present challenges and needs.
The Competency Based Education and Training (CBET), DP noted, is meant to prepare learners from the lowest level to the highest.
This has seen the rolling out of Competency Based Curriculum at lower, junior and senior secondary schools and an expansive and relevant learning system at tertiary and university levels.
“We are working hard to make our education system relevant, affordable, accessible and of high quality because it is beneficial to the young people,” he added.
