By S, KNA
Nyeri Senator, Wahome Wamatinga, has called on young people to take advantage of available government empowerment programs as one way of addressing the problem of unemployment in the country.
Wamatinga noted that with close to 2 million young people joining the job market every year, there was a need to seek elaborate methods of opening up more employment opportunities for the youth.
He said since President Dr William Ruto took over the reins of leadership in 2022, he has come up with novel wealth creation initiatives such as the Financial Inclusion Fund and the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Project which Kenyans should take advantage of.
“I wish to appeal to our young people who are searching for jobs to take advantage of the various empowerment opportunities which the State has opened up to the public. Some initiatives like National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement Project (NYOTA)are even availing startup capital to start small businesses and come in handy for young people. And prior to granting the Sh50,000 the Government is first taking the beneficiaries through training on financial literacy and entrepreneurial skills to equip them adequately before they get down to business, “he said today during Inooro TV morning show.
The NYOTA project is a five-year initiative that aims to empower the youth aged between 18-29 years by increasing employment opportunities and create an entrepreneurship culture in the society.
The Sh5 billion program jointly funded by the World Bank was launched yesterday across all the 47 counties and is targeting 820,000 youths by 2032.
The initiative aims to empower young people across the country where they will gain skills, mentorship and key opportunities in key sectors such as transport, ICT, agriculture, manufacturing and the creative economy and access to funding.
It targets a total of 70 youth from each administrative ward who will each receive Sh 50,000 as start-up capital to set up a business.
Yesterday PS Energy, Alex Wachira and his East African Cooperation Counterpart, Dr. Carolyn Karugu spearheaded activities while launching the NYOTA program in the region at the Nyeri National Polytechnic
Wamatinga said leaders from Nyeri have already taken the cue and are conducting sensitization campaigns about the program in all the 30 wards in the county.
He has also lauded Dr Ruto for coming up with youth friendly programs such as the Affordable Housing Project(AHP) which he termed as a game changer in creating employment opportunities for the young people.
He says through the revamped National Social Security Fund and the Hustler Inclusive Fund, the President is inculcating a saving culture among Kenyans, a phenomenon that has been lacking since independence.
“President Dr Ruto literally opted to bite the bullet when he came up with the Hustler Inclusive Fund, the Affordable Housing Programs and the Social Health Authority which are unpopular with a section of our leaders. However, and unknown to many Kenyans these are some of the very ideas Kenya sold to Singapore in early 1960s and has transformed the Asian country into a first world country. While what the Government is doing at the moment may never make sense to some, in years to come Kenyans will appreciate that this actually took place,” he argues.
Wamatinga has also told off those labeling him a traitor for his decision to support the Kenya Kwanza Government terming such talk as simplistic and dishonest.
He said those who are now opposing the government were once its greatest cheerleaders and should therefore be the last to talk ill about it.
The Senator stressed that what the country needs are leaders who can walk the talk but not individuals or groups who engage in perpetual rhetoric without offering any practical solutions to the problems ailing the ordinary Kenyans.
“Those of us who have decided to stick with the President Dr Ruto in order to serve our people have often been branded traitors and even equated to those who collaborated with the colonialists during Kenya’s struggle for independence. Unfortunately, those who are calling us traitors were once calling shots in this very government. It is therefore hypocritical for such leaders to turn around and label us traitors when it should be the other way round. We should join hands and support the President in his efforts to improve the lives of Kenyans instead of criticizing every initiative that is being done to improve the lives of the ordinary person,” he pointed out.
In regard to his relationship with former DP Rigathi Gachagua, the Senator said he held no ill feelings against the former second in command but was against his efforts to alienate the people of Mount Kenya from the rest of the county.
The lawmaker said Gachagua cannot claim to be a national leader while at the same time calling for leaders from Mount Kenya to rally behind his recently launched Democracy for Citizen Party (DCP)which is meant to be solely a Central region political party affair.
“I have great respect for Rigathi Gachagua as a leader of repute in this country. Notwithstanding the respect, I cannot support his quest to pit our people against the rest of the country. He claims we command 33 per cent of the Kenyan voting bloc but what will happen if the rest of the country gangs against us at the ballot come 2027.What chance do we stand in our quest to lead the country?’, he posed.