•MCAs want executive to develop county's own youth policy
•The policy will help address unemployment, drug addiction and involvement in crime
Image: EZEKIEL AMINGA
Ward Reps have allocated Sh5 million for the development of Nairobi City County Youth Policy.
The assembly also approved a Sh33.3 billion supplementary budget on Tuesday.
The MCAs want the executive to develop a county youth council policy to establish Nairobi City-County Youth Council to address issues bedeviling youth in the capital.
They are concerned by the high number of unemployed youths in Nairobi who are now engaged in drug abuse and crime.
Nominated MCA Kabiro Mbugua, who moved the motion, said the majority of youths living in Nairobi and even across the country have high hopes and ambitions but little chance of nurturing them.
"Article 55 of the Constitution provides for the State to take measures, ensure the youth have opportunities to access employment and are protected from harmful practices and exploitation," he said.
He said most young people have become desperate in life and turned into crime, substance abuse, commercial sex work and even suicide.
"This has resulted in negative repercussions on the young people and contributes to growing physical insecurity for the society for society as a whole," Mbugua said.
Supporting the policy, Umoja One MCA Mark Mugambi said the legislators should also support youths sincerely and stop using them to ascend to political powers especially during campaigns.
MCA Leah Naikane said youths should stop relying on white collar jobs only. "The youth should also go to technical training schools where they will acquire skills," she said.
Makongeni MCA Peter Imwatok said the county government should issue bursaries on time to several youths who are in polytechnics so that they remain in school.
The MCAs said the youth council will help empower the youths who in Nairobi and also start projects like urban agriculture, revolving funds and loans at low-interest rates.
Other counties already have youth programmes.
Meru has a Youth Service Programme launched in April 2018.
It is a unique initiative in which 1000 young people drawn from administrative wards in the county will receive training in fields such as agriculture, health services and urban regeneration.
This an ambitious 5-year plan to provide sustainable alternatives for youth who have been deprived of a key source of income as a result of the ban on miraa exports to the European Union estimated to be worth US $ 6 billion annually.
UN-Habitat and the Meru County Government held a two-day youth empowerment conference in Meru Town 3-4 May 2018 themed Build the Youth, Build the Future.
The conference identified solutions to key challenges affecting young people among them youth radicalisation, poverty, unemployment and alcohol and drug abuse which must be addressed to rally youth to participate meaningfully and effectively in governance and economic development.