Ambitious Bill Adds Muscle to Youth Empowerment Programs
The County Government of Uasin Gishu is working on a policy that seeks to, among a raft of benefits, help resolve youth unemployment by training and equipping them with skills necessary for the local and international labour market.
The Uasin Gishu County Youth Service Bill 2023 – drawing inspiration from the Article 55 of the Constitution – looks to provide a policy framework for training, empowering, and involving the young generation in societal development plans, and impart them with skills that better position them for the international labour space.
The framework also seeks to reduce youth poverty, unemployment and helplessness, develop a data bank of the youth in the County bearing all their biodata as academic qualifications/credentials, and promote youth involvement in agriculture, health, forestry, urban development, and environmental rehabilitation.
Speaking during the policy presentation on Thursday, Uasin Gishu Assembly chair of the Youth and Sports Committee, Gilbert Lagat, said the framework will be crucial in solving unemployment challenges. The chair is the Member of the County Assembly for Kiplombe Ward. Almost similar sentiments were shared by committee vice chair Juliet Chelimo.
MCA for Ainabkoi/Olaare Ward, Gilbert Chepkong’a, said the Assembly is working in consultation with the executive to support programs that support the empowerment of the young generation.
County Executive for Youth and Sports, Eng Lucy Ng’endo, said the Governor is keen on youth empowerment and that the Youth Service Policy will give the department muscle and policy frameworks to undertake several empowerment plans.
According to Nahum Jelagat, the Chief Officer for Youth and Sports, society needs to embrace the youth to help the young generation overcome challenges such as drug and substance abuse and a policy needs to be put in place.
Philip Melly, the Governor’s Economic Advisor, said youth empowerment is a crucial pillar in Governor Jonathan Bii’s development agendas, through the appreciation that the youthful generation is the driver of tomorrow’s society.
Director of Youth Affairs, Peter Rutto, says: “There are several changing trends for the youth, and policies have to be re-tailored to ensure these young people get frameworks that help in their empowerment.”
“(The) Bill will give us policy framework to expand the sports talent identification plan and link the talented youth to clubs and other companies, also in the form of scholarships like in the US and so on,” Director of Sports, Henry Mukolwe, said.
Assembly Sports and Youth Committee members Nathan Malamoch (Segero/Barsombe), Thomas Yego (Tarakwa Ward) and nominated county legislators Everlyne Tirop and Nancy Kiboy were in attendance.
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