Cabinet Secretaries Salim Mvurya (Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports) and Hassan Joho (Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs) are actively urging residents in the coastal region to support the national development agenda.
The two leaders emphasized the importance of community collaboration with the national government in driving sustainable economic activity, job creation, and the equitable use of public resources.
Mvurya and Joho, accompanied by a host of local leaders, were speaking at Ronald Ngala grounds in Mombasa County during a meet-the-people engagement.
They were accompanied by Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir, Senator Mohamed Faki; MPs Mohamed Machele (Mvita), Badi Twalib (Jomvu), Rashid Bedzimba (Kisauni), Mishi Mboko (Likoni) and Principal Secretary for Youth Affairs, Fikirini Jacobs.
Ministers Mvurya and Joho, who are past two-term governors of Kwale and Mombasa, respectively, said policy continuity was critical to sustaining economic reforms, improving security and delivering long-term prosperity.
The two defended the Kenya Kwanza administration’s record on regional equity, saying development was now being shared fairly across the country.
“We want the people to continue supporting the bottom-up economic growth strategy of the national government,” said Mvurya.
CS Mvurya reaffirmed the National Government’s commitment to creating opportunities for the youth to enable them to participate meaningfully in the country’s socio-economic development.
Mvurya cited the Sh5 billion National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) project, which he noted is a bold intervention that will foster socio-economic stability in the long run.
He said the NYOTA project, championed by the national government, is potentially a ‘panacea to the widespread youth unemployment’ and associated social ills in the country.
Mvurya said the government will continue upskilling young people and creating an enabling environment where they can thrive.
He said they will continue to crisscross the coastal counties of Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, Lamu, Taita Taveta and Tana River with elected leaders to promote peace and unity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Mvurya said they will continue engaging coastal residents to back the government development agenda on account of its commitment to advancing national development through sustained investment in priority sectors aimed at strengthening service delivery.
On his part, CS Joho expressed the government’s commitment to accelerating meaningful development and expanding opportunities for the youth.
He said the meet-the-people forums are focused on strengthening infrastructure, expanding economic opportunities, empowering the youth and enhancing service delivery while underscoring the importance of sustained public participation in shaping the development agenda.
“We urge coastal residents to continue supporting the national government in its endeavor to undertake transformative development programmes in every corner of the country,” said Joho.
Joho urged residents not to gamble with their future in the forthcoming 2027 general polls, warning that a wrong electoral decision could set back an entire generation.
He said major infrastructure and economic projects in the coastal region include the Dongo Kundu Bypass (Mombasa), Mwache Multipurpose Dam (Kwale), LAPSSET Corridor (Lamu), and the proposed Mombasa-Nairobi expressway.
“All these mega projects are geared toward transforming regional trade, water security, and transportation,” he said.
Joho said the government will continue implementing programmes that promote inclusive development and enhance the quality of life for the citizenry.
Governor Nassir urged the youth to avoid challenges such as drug and substance abuse, which he decried as a worrying reality affecting the society.
The coastal county boss urged the youth to shun drug abuse and criminal activities to protect their personal health and secure a prosperous future.
By Hussein Abdullahi
