This archive report was first published on 22 November 2019.
Published on November 22, 2019, a social audit report on county youth empowerment programmes for the 2017/18-2018/19 financial years revealed a concerning trend in Nairobi County, where only 1.2 per cent of youth utilised the Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO) programme.
Similarly, in Trans Nzoia, the ministry in charge of youth affairs allocated Sh6 million to youth projects, but Sh21 million for "strengthening the council of elders".
These findings highlight the lack of meaningful participation and representation of youth in youth-friendly bodies, which is a major setback to the effective discharge of their mandate.
According to Article 55 of the Constitution, the government is required to take measures, such as affirmative action programmes, to ensure that the youth access relevant education and training, have opportunities to associate, be represented and participate in political, social, economic and other spheres of life.
However, the government's actions have bred hopelessness and disillusionment among the youth, leading to their disconnection from active involvement in the electoral, democratic and governance processes.
It's high time the government undertook deliberate measures to establish a criterion for appointing youth to boards of state bodies, ministries and even the private sector at all levels.
The National Youth Council (NYC), the official youth representative body with well-structured representation at the county and national levels, should be empowered to vet and nominate the candidates.
