The government's affirmative action programmes have not achieved much in empowering the youth due to ignorance, two officials have said.
Narc Kenya executive director Taabu Daniels and the Centre for Multiparty Democracy officer Isaac Kinyua said young people need to access information about the funds.
The programmes include the Uwezo Fund, Youth Enterprise Development Fund, Women Enterprise Funds and the National Government Affirmative Action Fund, among others.
The two spoke during a training workshop for the youth held in a Nyeri hotel yesterday.
The participants were drawn from Nyeri county. Narc-K identified the participants.
The training was organised by CMD and Narc-K as a result of a baseline survey which was carried out by CMD where the party is a member.
Taabu said the meeting was meant to disseminate the findings of the baseline survey after its launch on September 17 in Nairobi.
“We as a party are moving to our counties to share the information because the survey was about youths and inclusion specifically addressing article 55 (b) of the Constitution of Kenya,” Taabu said.
Participants are expected to share the information with members of their village, wards and constituencies so that the information can be cascaded.
Though Nyeri was the first county to benefit with the training, Taabu said the survey’s sampling was nationwide and they will get into other counties with the message.
Kinyua, on his part, said CMD Kenya is committed in ensuring that young people, mostly in political parties are able to take up their political spaces and become key contributors to the development of the country.
One of the best ways to reach the young people with the information, he said, is through political parties.
He said from the launch of the baseline survey, the government has taken some key steps to ensure that young people are part and parcel of the development of the country.
However, he said, a high level of ignorance among the young people has prevented them from benefiting from the programs.
“The government needs to play a role in ensuring that the information goes down to the people at the village level so that they can be able to benefit from the funds,” Kinyua added.
Young people are known to contribute in violence but CMD wants them to contribute to the growth of democracy of the nation as well as the country’s political, economic and social growth.
