Infrastructure development, free primary education, widening financial inclusion and a new constitution are some of the achievements that have been credited to former President Mwai Kibaki.
But one achievement that Kibaki does not get enough credit for is his role in empowering the youth.
One of the late President Kibaki’s lasting legacies are the several youth empowerment programmes he rolled out during his 10-year presidency.
For one, his administration established the Youth Enterprise and Development Fund in 2007, setting up the stage for real youth empowerment a departure from the past when youth empowerment was at best tokenism.
YEDF was created to develop and harness the youth’s entrepreneurial spirit, especially in the informal sector. The seeds sowed in 2007 have since bore fruit as seen by the Sh13 billion in loans advanced to over one million young people with close to 20,000 youthful entrepreneurs receiving training to enable them become government suppliers through Affirmative Group Procurement Opportunity.
It was also during President Kibaki’s regime that the Marshall plan for youth employment and development also known as the Kazi Kwa Vijana Programme was launched in 2008. Through this initiative, young people in urban and rural areas were contracted to do jobs in labour-intensive public works projects that were being carried out by various ministries.
The Kazi kwa Kijana architecture has since been used as a blueprint for similar programmes such as the Kazi Mtaani Programme, which cushioned the most vulnerable youth in the informal settlements during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Kibaki government also birthed the National Youth Council in 2009 as the official voice of the youth to ensure effective coordination of youth-related interventions and their involvement in planning, monitoring, and evaluation of related interventions.
The council has laid the groundwork for expanding opportunities in the political discourse such as the upcoming “Fursa vs Democracy Challenge”, which aims at enhancing the participation by and role of the youth in elections. This is critical, especially in this election, where the youth will have the chance to elect a new government in August.
The Kibaki government belief and action in the potential of the youth, the private sector and the sound management of our economy are some successes that Kenya’s third President will be remembered for.
President Kibaki showed us that with political goodwill and commitment, it is possible to bequeath to the future generations a legacy defined by prosperity, security, stability and a life filled with dignity and respect.
For the youth, indeed the former President bequeathed a legacy defined by prosperity, security, stability and a life filled with dignity and respect.
Rest in Peace President Mwai Kibaki
Roy Sasaka Telewa is the National Youth Council CEO
[email protected], @RoySasaka
