Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru has called on the youth to ensure that they are part and parcel of nation building.
Mucheru said that when young people are disenfranchised or disengaged from the political processes, a significant portion of the population will have little or no voice or influence in decisions that affect their lives.
“This is why we are very deliberate in ensuring that the youth are at the forefront of the decision making process and shaping our country’s future. Last evening we issued a call for young people to join the National Youth Council Election Steering Committee, details of which can be found on the NYC’s website www.nationalyouthcouncil.go.ke,” said Mucheru.
Speaking on Wednesday during a Banquet for Peace in Kenya organized by the International Youth Fellowship (IYF) founder Dr. Rev. Ock Soo Park, Mucheru said that Kenya, as with most other African countries has a youthful population – currently at 75.1 per cent who also constitute 60 per cent of eligible voters, have an immense opportunity to make a difference and chart the future of our country.
“The government’s policy is to enable more people uplift their economic status, to get out of poverty, to empower them with skills that will make their livelihoods sustainable, and in the process inspire those around them,” explained Mucheru.
The CS who was accompanied by members of the National Youth Council Advisory Board, led by their Chair, Ms. Deborah Bubi said that as part of his clarion call, he constantly encourages the youth to take charge of their destiny by making the right decisions today to secure their future.
“My first interaction with the Founder Rev. Park was in September last year, when the whole world was grappling with the effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic, which disrupted even the religious organizations. During this interaction, where I was representing my boss, the President, my attention was drawn to Rev. Park’s thoughts on how the mind-set change program can influence young people to be positive, progressive and innovative thinkers and doers of good to all humanity,” said Mucheru.
“In fact, I can say that Rev. Park’s passion for the youth is synonymous with my own passion, only distinguished by the fact that his Ministry focuses on spiritual guidance while my Ministry’s focuses on Policy and Regularity guidance,” highlighted the CS.
Rev. Park underscored the importance of peace saying that being born in Korea in 1944 around the time the country got its independence from Japan and witnessing the Korean War taught him the negative impacts of war and violence.
“The Korean War left many people dead, children became orphaned and life became hard for the citizens,” said Rev. Park.
By Joseph Ng’ang’a
