Kenya is a youthful nation with 75 per cent of her population comprising people under the age of 40.
President Uhuru Kenyatta in an address to Kenyans in June 2017 during the launch of the Jubilee manifesto at Kasarani, made a promise to prioritise the youth in employment and pledged to create at least 6.5 million jobs by 2022.
The president promised to expand the participation of young people in national development assuring them that 30% of all appointments, projects and budgets would be targeted towards them.
He assured Kenyans he would liaise with the likes of Nairobi governor Mike Sonko, Starehe MP Charles Njagua and other youthful leaders in Jubilee to empower Kenyan youth.
“Young people are the cornerstone of Kenya’s future. We have a large pool of talented and entrepreneurial youth who seek opportunities, not handouts. Young people that seek to utilise their talents.
“Our transformation programme aims to harness this creative energy by providing skills and opportunity to young people to take our country to the next level,” the president assured youths in his address at the time.
The Standard reported that over 14,000 people, a great number of them, youth, lost their jobs in 2019 after about nine companies ceased operations in the country.
However, on Monday, October 14, Uhuru shocked Kenyans when he appointed former Othaya MP Mary Wambui, 69, to chair the National Employment Board, a decision that outraged Kenyans on the backdrop of several other appointments that highlight President Uhuru’s apparent decision to ignore younger candidates.
This appointment was subject of a hostile reception from Kenyans who questioned the president’s judgement and his perception of the abilities of the country’s youth.
Wambui’s appointment followed a series of recent appointments by the president dominated by old men and women, some of whom have served in the governments before, the most notable, being the former head of civil service, Francis Muthaura, who was appointed to chair the Kenya Revenue Authority for an additional three-year term.
In December 2018, Uhuru appointed former vice president Moody Awori as a member of the Sports, Art and Social Development Fund board.
The president would go ahead to later defend his appointment of the 92-year-old saying that Awori would ensure money was not from the fund and reiterating his distrust for younger Kenyans having responsibility over crucial finances.
“If you see how young people we have trusted with positions steal public money, its rather I appoint somebody like Awori whom I am sure will protect your money to ensure intended developments and services get back to the people,” Uhuru was quoted by The Standard on December 6, 2018.
Starehe MP Charles Njagua on Aril 29, tabled a motion before the National Assembly, still pending, seeking to reduce the retirement age to 50 from 60. Njagua admitted that passing the bill would create jobs for the millions of young Kenyans who are unemployed.
