Do not deny young people a chance to participate in building of our nation

The recent appointments to parastatal boards were unfair to the young and the poor people of Kenya. The youth, who overwhelmingly voted for the Jubilee coalition, felt cheated as the plum jobs went to octogenarians, most of whom are politicians.

All the old politicians whom the Kenyan youth rejected at the last election made their way back into the government.

Does this imply that the much-hyped generational change has aborted? Why did the President and his deputy depict the elderly as spent forces during their campaign, only to turn around and return them to active service once they took the reins of power? Indeed, the last election was an age-driven poll. It is the peak of hypocrisy to behave to the contrary.

Deputy President William Ruto has defended the appointments, claiming that the country needs a blend of the young and the old, that the older people would bring their valuable experience into the management of public affairs.

If that is the case, why allow them to dominate the list of appointments? Can’t the senior citizens advice the President and his deputy from outside government, Njuri Ncheke-style? Most of these so-called elders failed when they had a chance to serve.

Good human resource practice will strive to bring new or fresh ideas into the organisation. People who have had a chance to serve should retire to allow their sons and daughters to take over the work.

BECAUSE THEY ARE VISIBLE

We are creating a dangerous precedent where the old guard will refuse to make way for the younger generation. Worse still, the tendency to hire only politicians simply because they are visible sends the wrong message that one must be a politician to get a job.

Another glaring feature of the list is that it contained the names of the families that are the Who is Who in Kenya, the prominent families of close friends and associates of the President.

This only serves to perpetuate the rich man’s club syndrome in the running of public affairs. Kenya’s resources, including job opportunities, belong to all citizens, irrespective of their background.

We should reject class systems when making crucial decisions that affect the nation. Young people are watching keenly to see who will be picked to head these corporations.

The President should take advantage of this opportunity to demonstrate that he cares about the youth and poor Kenyans. Every Kenyan deserves a chance to participate in the building of the nation.

A country that is perceived as belonging to a select few cannot promote stability and equity. Yes, Jubilee has let the dot.com generation down. It is time to rectify this. National Youth Service jobs are not enough; they are just a token. The youth deserve better quality jobs. 

BENARD AMAYA, via email