National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has said he will prioritise the youth in his government if elected President in 2022.
He said the founding President Jomo Kenyatta was able to achieve much because he had so many youths in his government like Robert Angaine, Jeremiah Nyaga, Tom Mboya, Mwai Kibaki.
“That’s how the country was ready to take off but it started getting back when government began to be for old men,” he said.
The Speaker said it is not logical to have just one ministry for the youth and women yet they are the majority of the population.
“Why do we have a ministry of Youth Gender and women, the youth are over 70 per cent of the population of this country, the women on the other hand are the majority and should have a ministry of their own. What we should create under one ministry is the retirees and veterans,” Muturi said.
He spoke at Buuri constituency, Meru county on Saturday where he met youth and women leaders.
Muturi said youth cannot continue being told they are the future leaders.
He said if the youth were give big projects like Galana Kulalu the projects would have been a big success.
“They are brilliant and talented, let the talented the people to run government as they have not been involved in corruption,” he said.
The Speaker said he will also fight corruption by preventing instead of curing.
“The war on corruption should now refocus on prevention rather than curing, there is no need of using a lot of money following up a corruption case which in the end does not bear fruits,” he said.
Muturi said youths can be used to fight corruption as integrity champions who can prevent corruption from happening.
On the formation of a Mount Kenya East party, he said there is no harm in having small or regional parties.
“There is no harm in having regional parties, nobody should say this is a tribal party, those willing to form their parties are at liberty as Kenya is a multi party country,” he said.
Muturi said some of his supporters are being intimidated to abandon him, cautioning that Kenya is a country governed by constitution and democracy where every one is given a chance to express his opinion.
“Nobody should fear supporting me even if you are intimidated they will take you nowhere,” he said.
Muturi urged aspirants to explain how they will help Meru residents address issues affecting them saying many presidential aspirants who visit the county only speak about Miraa.
"The county's problems do not stem from Miraa alone as the region engages in many other crop farming."
-Edited by SKanyara
