By Tony Wafula, Bungoma
Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports Cabinet Secretary (CS) Salim Mvurya has launched a Wazo program that would link youths to government opportunities. The CS argues that there are many opportunities that the young generation can benefit from.
The CS spoke this at Kibabii University in Bungoma County during the Wazo Engagement Forum. The event was themed “Your Voice, Your Power, Your Future.”
“Most of these opportunities are found online therefore let’s utilize the digital platforms to access them,” CS Mvurya stated.
Further, he stated that the ministry has partnered with the County governments and the National Youth Council Kenya (NYC) to introduce a new initiative, Wazo that is designed to provide a platform for the youths to voice their concerns, ask questions and directly engage with policymakers.
The Former Kwale governor also affirmed that Wazo Youth Empowerment Forum also aims to help young people recognize their strengths, set goals and take steps toward achieving them, ultimately leading to more fulfilling and successful lives.
“The forum also fosters innovation, helps youth identify opportunities, and lays the groundwork for a more inclusive future,” he said.
Mvurya also highlighted various government initiatives supporting youth, including the Youth Enterprise Fund, which offers business opportunities, and the National Youth Opportunities towards Advancement Projects (NYOTA) Project, which provides training resources to enhance career advancement.
The CS emphasized the importance of engaging directly with young people to refine these opportunities and ensure they are beneficial to them.
Mvurya reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring that youth from diverse backgrounds including University graduates, TVET students and those in rural areas are at the center of development efforts.
He further announced that the government has allocated Ksh 20 billion to support skill development among the youth.
Additionally, efforts to boost the digital economy include establishing digital hubs across the country to equip young people with online job opportunities.
For entrepreneurship, both the Youth Fund and Absa Fund are available to help young people access financial support for their businesses.
Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka affirmed his administration’s commitment to youth empowerment, particularly through the 30% government procurement rule, which ensures youth-led businesses have access to tenders.
The Ford Kenya Governor stressed the need for Local Purchase Order (LPO) financing to help young entrepreneurs, acknowledging that many lack the capital required to secure business deals.
“I encourage you to come forward, we will assist you, even engaging banks to ensure that once you have an LPO, you can access financing. Once you complete the business, the banks recover their money,” the governor said.
He also noted that the county government, in collaboration with the national government, has completed the Masinde Muliro Stadium in Kanduyi to provide better sports facilities for young athletes. Additionally, the construction of the Chemoge High Altitude Training Centre in Mt. Elgon is underway to establish a national training center for aspiring athletes.
Governor Lusaka encouraged youth to take initiative rather than wait for opportunities to come to them.
