Mandera youths have urged the government to expand the Kazi Mtaani programme by employing more people.
President Uhuru Kenyatta launched the programme to help vulnerable youths who lost jobs following the Covid-19 outbreak.
Adan Abdi, one of the beneficiaries, on Sunday said the programme has helped the youth make a living.
Speaking to the press in Mandera town, Abdi said the youths have been engaged and are meeting their daily needs from the daily wage of Sh600.
He said the youths are now busy and cannot indulge in drugs.
“This programme has done a lot of good for us. I can assure you without such engagement the level of crime could have been so high because of idleness,” Abdi said.
Adding, "Most of the time, young people are driven into terror groups and criminal gangs, not because of their own liking but out of desperation. It is for this reason that we are appealing to the government to consider expanding the programme and bring more beneficiaries on board."
Another youth Mohammed Alio asked the government to employ more youths and extend the 20-day exercise until Covid-19 pandemic is subdued.
County commissioner Onesmus Kyatha asked the youths to take the initiative seriously by performing their tasks.
Kyatha said the government is concerned about the plight of the youths in society.
The youths have been engaged in bush clearing to open up roads, unblocking sewerage lines, fumigating public places and general cleanliness in line with fighting the spread of Covid-19.
Mandera has been put on lockdown alongside Nairobi, Mombasa, Kwale and Kilifi counties into and out of which movement has been restricted.
Edited by R.Wamochie
