President Uhuru Kenyatta will visit the Nyanza region this Sunday for the first time since the famous handshake between him and the opposition leader Raila Odinga.
There have been rumors that the two leaders were planning to tour the region together but Raila refuted the claims earlier this week during a press conference.
Uhuru will host about 5,000 youths in Nyanza for the 2018 International Youth Day celebrations. The event that will bring together youths from across the country will be held at Gusii stadium in Kisii county.
Uhuru will be accompanied by Deputy President William Ruto, cabinet secretaries, political leaders and artists. State officials told the media that the government has planned a series of events before the Sunday celebrations.
“This year’s theme is ‘Safe places for youth to empower themselves’,” Youth Affairs Secretary in the DP’s office, Antony Kibagendi, said in an interview. The National Steering Committee came up with the theme to showcase opportunities for youths to empower themselves.
The committee headed by Sabina Kweke will use the forum to discourage the victim mentality and discuss solutions to youths’ problems. “As a generation, we need to come to the realisation that there are numerous safe spaces for youths to exploit in agriculture, enterprise, governance and in the job market,” Kibagendi said.
On Monday, the DP went to Makueni to launch a fruit tree planting exercise, as part of the celebrations. “The exercise is significant since the planting of fruit trees is in line with the food security and will help conserve the environment,” Kibagendi said. “We shall have celebrations across the country for the entire week.”
The United Nations complex will host invited youth in Gigiri while the August House will hold its celebrations at Parliament buildings on Friday. Kibagendi asked MPs to attend the celebrations with two youths from their constituencies. He added that the youths will be equipped with skills for self-reliance and given ideas on subjects including environmental conservation.
“We have incorporated all stakeholders, including youth departments in government and partners, who will exhibit at the events,” he said.
Ksh 200 Billion for the Youth
Tenders worth more than Sh200 billion have been lined up this financial year for youths, women and the disabled, Deputy President William Ruto has announced. This figure is Sh136 billion higher than that of the 2017/18 year, when about 58,000 tenders were awarded to youths.
Speaking in Wote, Makueni county, on Monday, the DP said the higher allocation means these groups of Kenyans must “get out of bed, put on their boots, tighten their belts and roll up their sleeves for gainful work”.
“No opportunity will be brought to your door step. You must network your way into these opportunities,” he added in his address during National Youth Week. Ruto said that focus is on young people because their latent force can turn Kenya around.
To exploit this potential, he said, the government has come up with a plan in tandem with their desires and aspirations.
“To unlock their potential, we must make them competent. That is why we are prioritising their training. From September, all technical colleges, including Kenya Medical Training Colleges, will be provided with bursaries to the tune of Sh30,000 a year,” he said.
Ruto added that students in tertiary institutions will have access to Sh40,000 in loans a year, like their counterparts in universities. Beginning next year, he also said, university and college students will get internship opportunities which will be paid for by the government. At least 120,000 youths are expected to benefit from the new initiative annually.
The DP also cautioned school principals against withholding the school certificates of their students, saying this will amount to a crime.