Uhuru should name youth to State posts

As President Uhuru Kenyatta forms his new Cabinet, he must ensure that it has the best people to help him to push through ambitious government programmes.

Importantly, he must have the youth at the heart of his selection — not only because they will determine his legacy but also for the obvious reason: Kenya’s future rests with them.  

The greatest challenge facing our nation is exclusion of various groups and sections of the citizenry. Make no mistake, exclusion of youth is a big threat to our progress.

BAGGAGE

Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, once remarked, and rightly so, that a society that fails to tap into the talents of its youth cannot make progress.

This is one of the moments when, in some ways, the President’s personal choices can demonstrate that he cares about youth leadership. And since he is on his final term, he should get rid of political baggage and name visionary, competent men and women to State posts for a lasting legacy.

The President must take the right steps to redress the wrongs of his first term, and that includes exclusion of youth from his administration. And he must broaden his search if he wants to constitute a productive and competitive team.

Youth have been at the forefront of the endeavours to make Kenya shine and continue to perform with distinction at different levels in the arts, sports, entrepreneurship and other sectors. But when it comes to governance and public service, they are relegated to the back seat.

PUBLIC SERVICE

This country owes the youth an obligation to ensure that qualified young people contribute to, and serve in, the public service. We cannot claim to make progress when the bulk of the population, the youth, are not included at the decision-making table.

There are three spaces for participation: Invited space, where participants are treated as guests; created space, made and shaped by the people for themselves; and closed space, where decisions are made.

Youth in Kenya remain perpetually confined to the invited space, where they are treated as cheerleaders and briefcase carriers.

Across the world, younger people are taking up leadership positions. In the United Arab Emirates, the median age is 30 years. But the UAE has a 22-year-old Minister of State for Youth Affairs!

Kenya, with a median age of 19.5 years, has the youngest population and the leadership must represent that reality.

In the recent General Election, young voters went out of their way to support youthful leaders such as John Paul Mwirigi, who, at 24, is the youngest member of the National Assembly. Stephen Sang was elected a county governor at 34. Many other youth made it to the county assemblies with even a Speaker, Joshua Kiptoo, who is only 29.

YOUTH

It is apparent that the public is warming up to the youth with fresh ideas, beyond the narrative of experience that has been propagated over the years.

As the President names his Cabinet and new parastatal chiefs and ambassadors, he must maintain the spirit that youth have espoused.

They value visionary and smart leaders with integrity, more so if they are young people.

Doubtlessly, Kenya requires the creativity, innovation and full participation of the youth at all levels.

The President ought to appoint them to strategic positions as a critical resource in his leadership.

President Kenyatta would do much better for himself by tapping into the youth.

There is no shortage of young people with professionalism and integrity, competent and committed in different sectors to contribute to the growth and development of our nation.

Mr Obonyo is the author of Conversations about the Youth in Kenya. [email protected].