The Draft Youth Bill 2024 will address numerous challenges facing young people, including unemployment.
Kisumu County Commissioner Benson Leparmorijo commended the more than 140 youths who turned up during a public participation exercise held at Ofafa Memorial Hall to ensure their views are captured in the final draft.
Leparmorijo, who was the Chief Guest at the forum, said the document was a testament to our collective commitment to empowering the youth, whom he described as the backbone and future of the nation.
He said the Youth Bill 2024 seeks to give effect to Article 55 of the Constitution, which states that the state shall take measures, including affirmative action programmes, to ensure that the youth access employment, have opportunities to associate, be represented, and participate in political, social, economic, and other spheres of life.
The county commissioner added that the Bill will enable the youth to access employment and ensure that they are protected from harmful cultural practices and exploitation.
Leparmorijo emphasised that public participation is the cornerstone of good governance and democracy; hence, similar forums organised in all the 8 regions across the country will capture all the aspirations, needs, and ideas of the youth, among other stakeholders.
“Today, we gather not only to discuss but to listen and understand the diverse perspectives on the Draft Youth Bill 2024. I encourage every participant to voice their opinions and provide constructive feedback to enrich this document,” he said.
The County Director of Youth Affairs, Dr. Josephine Itenye, stated that the draft emanates from the Kenya Youth Development Policy (KYDP) (2019) with consistent World Bank support all the way to the current Bill 2024 Public Participation forum.
Itinye disclosed that the 140 participants aged between 18 – 35 years were drawn from Kisumu, Vihiga, Siaya, Bungoma, Kakamega, and Busia counties, who demonstrated commitment and readiness to fully participate in the national discourse.
One of the participants, Verah Okumu, argued that they are keen to change the persistent notion that the youth have been sidelined in all important programs.
She singled out the youth in the diaspora, who continue suffering or are tortured in the hands of their employers as the job contracts don’t favour them, but all this will be corrected through the implementation of the Bill.
Another participant, Franklin Juma, also challenged fellow youth to wake up and smell the coffee, since no one will give them everything on a silver plate unless they take a leading role, with a view to bettering their lives into the future, with the help of government and other partners.
By Joseph Ouma
