The Government is overwhelmed by the large number of job seekers, President Kibaki has said.
The President admits there are no jobs to be created! Where does that leave the youth????
The Head of State said a fresh approach to address the plight of jobless youth was necessary to cope with the high demand for jobs.
He said the high number of young people who were unemployed undermined their wellbeing.
"It results in dependency and a vicious cycle of poverty, social ills and lack of dignity and self esteem among the youth’ said Kibaki.
He added: "In addition to this, lack of employment among the youth is a significant opportunity cost which impacts negatively on the socio-economic development of our country."
The President lamented amid concerns by the youth that they were not being absorbed in the job market. Their hopelessness was further compounded by the Government’s decision to extend the retirement age of civil servants from 55 to 60, a move that has been criticized by the youth.
Main challenge
Kibaki said the Government’s main challenge is how to ensure the large number of jobseekers was engaged productively.
"We need to improve their personal well-being as well as enable our youth to contribute to national development," he said.
The President spoke yesterday at Safari park Hotel at the launch of the Youth Employment and Employment Initiative summit.
Others who addressed the summit were Youth Minister Hellen Sambili, Africa Nazarene University Vice Chancellor Leah Marangu, US Ambassador to Kenya Michael Rannerberger and Equity Bank CEO James Mwangi.
The US envoy said Kenya would only achieve Vision 2030 if it invested heavily in the education of the youth.
President Kibaki challenged the participants to identify barriers to youth employment and seek ways to empower the youth. "Think creatively about solutions to the barriers our youth face in getting employed," he said.
The President disclosed the youth aged between 15 and 30 were about 14m and accounted for more than 36 per cent of the Kenyan population.
Kibaki said 500,000 youth graduate from institutions of learning annually and of the number, 92 per cent have informal education but no vocational skills training.
He said 750,000 youth are added to the job market annually.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
MPs upbeat over draft law debate
Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitution chair Abdikadir Mohamed address media at a past function. Kenyans moved closer to getting a new constitution on Tuesday when the revised draft constitution was tabled in Parliament.
Kenyans moved closer to getting a new constitution on Tuesday when the revised draft constitution was tabled in Parliament.
The enthusiasm with which MPs greeted the document when it was presented by the chairman of the Select Committee on Constitution Review, Mr Mohammed Abdikadir , pointed to a House united in the resolve to break the 30-year stalemate over the enactment of a new constitution.
There was excitement in the Old Chambers where the MPs are now sitting to give way to renovations of the main chamber as they awaited the brief presentation by Mr Mohammed. Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Prime Minister Raila Odinga were also in parliament and left after the presentation.
Debate, which will take 30 days, is expected to kick off next week. The House started debating the President’s speech on Tuesday and this will take four sitting days.
House Speaker Kenneth Marende set the tone when he challenged legislators to seize the moment and approach debate with sobriety and patriotism to ensure that the House output reflected the aspirations of Kenyans.
”The 10th Parliament has been bestowed with a rare opportunity that is the preserve of a select few mortals to go to the annals of history as the Parliament which finally delivered a new Constitution for our country,” said Mr Marende.
He asked MPs to read the document and understand it so that they can debate from an informed position.
Consequently, Parliament has organised a three-day retreat where MPs will be taken through the entire document, ahead of the debate. The meeting, whose venue will be announced later, will be held between March 12 and 14.
Should the House approve the draft constitution without amendments, it will be submitted to the Attorney General for publication.
If they propose amendments, the AG will present the recommendations to the Committee of Experts within seven days for consultation and redrafting.
Kenyans moved closer to getting a new constitution on Tuesday when the revised draft constitution was tabled in Parliament.
The enthusiasm with which MPs greeted the document when it was presented by the chairman of the Select Committee on Constitution Review, Mr Mohammed Abdikadir , pointed to a House united in the resolve to break the 30-year stalemate over the enactment of a new constitution.
There was excitement in the Old Chambers where the MPs are now sitting to give way to renovations of the main chamber as they awaited the brief presentation by Mr Mohammed. Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Prime Minister Raila Odinga were also in parliament and left after the presentation.
Debate, which will take 30 days, is expected to kick off next week. The House started debating the President’s speech on Tuesday and this will take four sitting days.
House Speaker Kenneth Marende set the tone when he challenged legislators to seize the moment and approach debate with sobriety and patriotism to ensure that the House output reflected the aspirations of Kenyans.
”The 10th Parliament has been bestowed with a rare opportunity that is the preserve of a select few mortals to go to the annals of history as the Parliament which finally delivered a new Constitution for our country,” said Mr Marende.
He asked MPs to read the document and understand it so that they can debate from an informed position.
Consequently, Parliament has organised a three-day retreat where MPs will be taken through the entire document, ahead of the debate. The meeting, whose venue will be announced later, will be held between March 12 and 14.
Should the House approve the draft constitution without amendments, it will be submitted to the Attorney General for publication.
If they propose amendments, the AG will present the recommendations to the Committee of Experts within seven days for consultation and redrafting.
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