Members of over one hundred groups in Marsabit County have a reason to smile after they received facilitation from the government, to enable them engage in income generating activities.
Marsabit Woman Representative, Naomi Waqo, expressed concern that the problem of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and drug abuse, was still prevalent in the region despite concerted efforts to end it.
Ms Waqo who presided over the presentation of the tools in all the four constituencies of Moyale, Saku, Laisamis and North Horr, noted that the beneficiaries who include needy men, women, youth and People with Disabilities, were deliberately being equipped to earn a decent living.
The tools that comprises of 100 tents and 6,000 chairs that the beneficiaries would use to rent out to individuals and organizations holding functions such as meetings, weddings and celebrations, were donated through the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF).
The Legislator said the empowerment of the vulnerable in society was a priority of the Kenya Kwanza government, adding that the fight against poverty would be relentlessly addressed.
She further said that President Ruto’s Administration was keen at creating job opportunities for the youth and that the climate worx programme was expected to offer employment to 831 youths in Marsabit county alone.
Ms Naomi who is also the Majority National Assembly Deputy Chief Whip, however, pointed out that the number was not adequate as youths requiring such hiring was very high and appealed to the government to consider revising it upwards.
“While we appreciate it that each of the 20 wards has been allocated about 36 slots, which I feel is on the lower side,” she observed, adding that she would be making a formal request to the government for more chances to be created, so that those left out could benefit.
She further advised the youth to guard themselves against drug abuse and especially bhang reportedly being smuggled from a neighbouring country, as the government was doing everything possible to address the issue of unemployment and idleness.
The MP pointed out that certain section of the society was still glued to retrogressive and outlawed customary practices including Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and wife beating which must stop.
“GBV is still rampant in this County as cases of forced early marriages and teenage pregnancies were being reported,” she pointed out, and called on more efforts from the concerned government agencies and partners in order to reverse the trend.
She expressed concern that the vices were giving the County a bad name as statistics showed that the region was leading in the practices with the youth further ruining their future by engaging in drugs and substances.
By Sebastian Miriti
