Youth from Elgeyo Marakwet studying in various colleges have been urged to avoid being involved in criminal activities, as this may affect their entire lives.
The Elgeyo Marakwet county police commander, Peter Mulinge, said the police have a database of fingerprints of any youth who have ever been arrested for involvement in any crime, and which they use to produce certificates of good conduct, which is mandatory for those seeking job opportunities, either locally or internationally.
The commander, who was addressing youth in tertiary colleges under the Jukwaa la Wasomi peace and security conversations at the county commissioner’s boardroom in Iten, said the only way one can erase the record is if he/she has been acquitted by the court.
However, Mulinge hailed the youth for being agents of peacebuilding and change in the county, saying they have played a great role in the maintenance of peace in the Kerio Valley, noting most of the reformed criminals who have been volunteering information to the police are youth.
The county gender coordinator Joseph Amuke also reminded the youth to repay their Hustler Fund loans and warned them to avoid misusing their social media handles, noting these are among the issues that employers check when shortlisting candidates.
“Let us avoid abusing people online and ensure that we authenticate any message or social media post before forwarding,” he said.
The Ag. County Commissioner, Julius Maiyo, appealed to the youth to guard against drug abuse, which he noted was on the rise in the county.
He said the worst was the consumption of second-generation liquor, which was popular among the youth as it was cheap.
Maiyo advised them to first confirm if the liquor had the Kenya Bureau of Standards sticker, adding that the price also helps to determine whether the liquor is genuine.
“If you find that the liquor is being sold to you cheaply, just know that it is fake and it is full of chemicals instead of genuine ingredients, which end up affecting your health. But I would advise to avoid alcohol if you can,” he said.
The gender coordinator appealed to the youth to bring the transformation in the fight against female genital mutilation by choosing to marry girls who have not undergone the rite.
The youth called on the government to give them job opportunities, saying most of them were getting involved in criminal activities and protests due to hopelessness.
The CC said the national government is undertaking the affordable housing project in the county and is also constructing the Kamariny stadium and called on those with various skills to apply for the same.
He added that the government had also equipped Technical and Vocational training centres to ensure that youth get skills to use for self-employment and also create job opportunities for others.
The youth also called on the security apparatus to deal with the source of illegal brews as a way of eradicating them, noting it would be more effective than dealing with consumers.
By Alice Wanjiru
