- Gachagua said he believed in the youth contributing immensely to development of the continent.
- Theofelus thanked the Deputy President for taking up the role of mentoring the young people.
Image: DPCS
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said youth leadership could play a key role in the advancement of Africa.
Speaking on Wednesday when he hosted Namibia’s Minister of Information and Communication Technology Emma Inamutila Theofelus at his Karen residence, the DP said young people are vital in securing the continent’s future.
Gachagua said he believed in the youth contributing immensely to development of the continent.
Theofelus, who is 28 years old, is one of the youngest ministers across Africa.
Gachagua praised the minister for rising to the position at a young age saying she was an inspiration to her generation.
“Being a minister at the age of 28 is a big achievement and I look forward to that happening in our country,” added Gachagua.
The Minister is in the country for the Connected Africa Summit 2024, being held at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi.
“Young people are energetic, suave, creative and tech-savvy. We are mentoring them to take up leadership positions to safeguard our future as a continent,” he added.
Theofelus thanked the Deputy President for taking up the role of mentoring the young people.
“I can attest to you mentoring young people and being close to them because I first met you during the Forbes 30 Under 30 Summit in Botswana last year. We thank you for taking the position of mentoring the young people,” the Minister said.
She also lauded Kenya for playing a bigger role in the technological advancement of the continent.
“Kenya is taking the lead in matters of connectivity. This is why we decided to come to this Summit. We have also been to Konza City which is a bold and promising project that is going to benefit Kenya and Africa,” Theofelus said.
Theofelus is a former youth activist, having served as deputy speaker of the Children's Parliament from 2013 to 2018.
She started her career after she completed a law degree at the University of Namibia, as a legal officer in the Ministry of Justice.
In 2020 she was judged to be one of 100 most influential African women, the youngest person on this list.