Waiguru: Counties ready to support youths' innovations

Council of Governors (CoG) Chairperson Anne Waiguru has said that county governments are committed to supporting innovations by young people.

Waiguru said counties recognise the immense potential of young people and the need to help them create opportunities for self-employment.

She said that county governments are actively promoting endeavours by youth to harness their innovative and technological skills by guiding and connecting them to the market.

"We recognise the critical role we must play in supporting and implementing such transformative tools," Waiguru said.

"We are committed to working alongside young innovators to ensure that their creations find practicality within the county governments."

Waiguru spoke during the official launch of the Badilico App—a digital innovation that aims to revolutionise public participation in Kenya.

She said counties are offering young innovators avenues to exhibit their innovations with the aim of facilitating valuable connections with potential investors and opportunities for expansion.

Waiguru emphasized that at a time when the world was facing the challenge of unemployment and other economic constraints, it was prudent for the government to assist the youth to channel their creativity, knowledge, and passion into innovations that have the potential to transform their lives and the nation.

The COG chair said that the Council had played a great role in guiding the app innovators into understanding the public participation gap and the opportunity that a digital platform could offer to maximise inclusion as envisioned in the constitution.

She said the app offers the government a path to achieving the transparency, accountability, participation, and inclusiveness that the Constitution envisions

"The App has the potential to help governments to actively engage citizens in planning and policy-making processes, facilitate open communication, ensure access to information, establish platforms for citizen participation, and conduct civic education, among other crucial responsibilities,” she added.

Waiguru said there exists a gap in the inclusion of the public in County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) development and offering real-time grassroots feedback from the bottom up.

"The App can also bring us closer to a future where every Kenyan feels connected to the decisions that affect their lives," she said.