The Government has launched a nationwide youth employment programme aimed at empowering jobless young people across the country to engage in gainful employment.
Dubbed the Climate Resilience Service Program (CRSP), 111,034 youth are expected to be recruited across all the 47 counties.
During the 62nd Madaraka day celebrations held in Homabay County, President William Ruto announced the nationwide rollout of the climate Work programme to provide employment and daily wages to unemployed youth.
The youth will undertake sustainable public works in infrastructure, environment, housing and urban development sectors.
The Western region counties of Kakamega, Bungoma, Vihiga and Busia are to recruit a total of 5,708 youth, with Kakamega County getting the lion’s share of 1,969 workers and 66 supervisors.
Bungoma has been allocated 1,767 workers and 59 supervisors; Busia, 985 workers and 33 supervisors; while Vihiga has 802 workers and 27 slots for supervisors.
Western Regional Commissioner (RC) Irungu Macharia, speaking during a stakeholder and citizen engagement forum organised by The Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) in Kakamega town, said the programme will run for six months.
The RC said the workers will be organised into cohorts, consisting of 10 consecutive working days to allow for a structured rotation system to ensure as many youth as possible participate in the programme.
“County Implementation Committees have been formed in respective counties to oversee the shortlisting of successful candidates,” he said.
The youth will engage in routine road maintenance, seedling production and tree-growing activities to be coordinated by the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and general urban cleaning services, among other activities.
Mr. Macharia said the application will be done online through a digital application portal provided by the government.
He, however, cautioned the youth against falling prey to fraudsters who may create fake digital links.
Applicants must be aged between 18-35 years and must be residents of the local community, while for the supervisory role, preference will be given to National Youth Service recruits due to their experience in discipline, leadership and structured public service tasks.
During recruitment, gender parity of 50-50 will be observed while 30% of the jobs will be reserved for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
The portal application for the Climate Resilience Service Program is WWW.CRSP.go.ke
By George Kaiga
