Ministry: Policies unfriendly to the youth

The Ministry of Youth Affairs has conceded that some of its policies are not friendly to the youth.

Youth Affairs minister Paul Otuoma said Thursday that programmes such as the Youth Enterprise Fund meant to open up income generating activities among Kenya's young population have not been successful because the Ministry sets stringent conditions for funding.

“Of what use is it to give youths funds and then you find the same Ministry has put an ad in the papers about the conditions which are across the government departments? This rules becomes punitive to the youth,” he said at the Hilton Hotel, Nairobi.

Dr Otuoma said that his Ministry has been unable to accommodate the young in procurement processes despite an executive order demanding that at least 10 percent of its procurement should target the youth.

The youth, often defined as people between 18 and 35 years, constitute about 12 million people and are seen as a key source of human resource. However, the Ministry admitted that the group has not been involved in most of the policies that affect them.

However, this is set to change as the Ministry plans to hold the first elections to pick members of the National Youth Council from next month. The council, created under the National Youth Council Act, is mandated to represent the youth in dealing with the government over issues that affect them.

The elections are set to be held from the grassroots (sub-location level) to the provincial level from April 18- May 20.

A national delegates forum will be held to pick national representatives after which the minister will gazette them.