PS Hinga launches Phase 3 of Kazi Mtaani registration in Nyamira

Housing and Urban Development Permanent Secretary Charles Hinga on Friday launched registration for the third phase of Kazi Mtaani Programme which will start in December.

Hinga who launched the online registration at Nyansiongo in Borabu, Nyamira county, said the Sh10 billion programme targets 250,000 unemployed youths across the country.

The registration which is on the Kazi Mtaani Management System portal will be open for two weeks and will not be on first come first served basis, the PS added after the registration website attracted huge traffic immediately after the launch. He said unemployed youths who took part in phase one and two are free to register for the third phase.

 “We want to invite interested youths to register online at www.register.kms.go.ke as we would like to leverage technology to understand where the needs are and how we can assist different youth across the country,” said the PS.

The programme is set to run  from December to June next year. The PS said the third phase of the programme will equip the youth with life skills aimed at creating job opportunities as well as enable them to engage in self-employment in fields such as plumbing, masonry, and carpentry among others.

“In this third phase, we want to focus on moving towards sustainability of Kazi Mtaani and positioning our youth to take up opportunities within their communities. The focus of the programme will be on providing technical/vocational skills to youth as well as equipping them to form organizations that can take up work through community contracting,” he noted.

He added: “It is anticipated that Kazi Mtaani youth will be engaged in activities that will lead to qualification and accreditation in the construction sector."

"Using on-the-job training and apprenticeship as the path to certification, youth with an interest in construction works will be recruited into the available workstreams.”

The PS further revealed that Kazi Mtaani youth will be integrated in contributing to health outcomes through integration with the Malaria Youth Army which aims at malaria control efforts.

The Kenya Malaria Youth Army is an initiative under the Ministry of Health formed on the idea that youth in Kenya can advocate, communicate, innovate, and directly engage in action to end malaria.

The PS revealed that after the closure of the registration process, the programme will then undertake a selection process of those who have registered through a set criteria that considers skills requirements for projects, availability of projects within an area, vulnerability of applicants, and other considerations.

“The selection committee will include relevant parties such as the NGAOs, settlement executive committees (where available), and technical officers from various agencies such as the State Department for Housing and Urban Development, National Construction Authority among others,” said the PS.