Barack Obama urges Kenya to empower women and girls

US President Barack Obama has challenged Kenya to empower women and girls to achieve its development dream faster.

The growth of Kenya's economy, he said on Sunday, will be greatly determined by girl education and employment of women.

In his address to Kenyans from Kasarani, Nairobi, the US leader pledged support to Kenyan and African youth through the Youth of Africa Leadership Initiative (YALI), an initiative that seeks to mentor the next generation of African leaders.

STOP FGM

President Obama said the fact that Kenya comes from a past where women were treated as second-class citizens does not mean things have to stay that way.

He urged a stop to repressive traditions such as female genital mutilation and early marriages, practices that he said stand in the way of progress.

He highlighted the great strides made by Kenyan women as evidence of the value of women in the society.

Among the women mentioned was Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai, who in the 90s championed the fight for the environmental conservation against a strong tide of apathy.

SALUTED WOMEN

"Kenya continues to carve out a distinct place among the nations. The country is a leader for conservation, following in the footprints of Wangari Maathai," he said.

He also cited key innovations by youthful Kenyan women as examples to others, most notably M-Farm, an app for farmers that was founded by 31-year-old computer scientist Jamila Abbas.

The US leader seemed clearly intrigued by the achievements made by Kenyan women, and at one point joked about First Lady Margaret Kenyatta winning one of the global marathon championships.

THINK LOCAL

Mrs Kenyatta has carved out a global name for herself for running annual marathons to raise funds for her Beyond Zero campaign that seeks to reduce maternal and child deaths.

President Obama also discouraged local youth from seeking foreign help and education, and urged them to take advantage of the progress made at home to lift themselves.

"When it comes to the youth, I believe there is no limit to what you can achieve. Because of Kenyan progress and because of your potential, you can build your future right here, right now," he said.

The US president, whose father was Kenyan, has been in Nairobi since Friday for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit that ends on Sunday.

He is expected to leave for Ethiopia on Sunday evening.