Migori County Government has been encouraged to incorporate youths in decision making processes to help them grab presented opportunities for economic empowerment.
Speaking during a youth forum in Kehancha Town in Kuria Sub County, the Executive Director Tunaweza Empowerment NGO Ms. Gloria Ochola said that youths should be allowed to be at the centre of decision making processes to ensure they access and exploit opportunities meant for them.
“It is only through full participation in decision making processes that youths, women and girls can fully enjoy their social, economic and political rights,” Ms Ochola emphasized.
The director noted that a majority of the population was youth yet they are the minority in the decision making processes in almost all the economic sectors across the counties.
Ochola alleged that youths were reduced to advocacy in championing noble ideas like good governance, mentorship and coaching sessions, while major decisions surrounding their future were being discussed without their approval and inclusion.
She also demystified the notion that the majority of youth do not know their roles and responsibilities in society saying they have not been given a chance to articulate their agendas and ideas at the decision making process levels.
Ochola said that the key focus of the organization was to champion the rights of young people and women through sensitization and advocacy to empower them economically and ideally in terms of decision making process.
David Mwita, an elected MCA from Kuria said that the Migori County Assembly has been pro youth in advocating for their rights.
Mwita noted that the County Assembly has been able to pass at least two bills to champion the rights of Youths and called upon Migori Department of Youth, Gender and Culture to ensure that the youth policies are implemented for their benefit.
The politician pointed that youths are a subset of society and it was important to put them in every decision making process to champion their own rights.
“Already we have nominated two youths from both genders in the County Assembly in readiness for the swearing in ceremony with the rest of the elected MCAs,” said Mwita.
However, he acknowledged that the 30 percent allocated tenders for youth and disabled have not been fully realized.
“A majority of youths are not aware of the tendering processes and this fact has made them lose on the golden opportunity,” he alleged.
Similarly, Migori County Gender Officer Ms. Agnes Bange disclosed that some of the policies on youths, women and children have been implemented to ensure that their rights are protected and empowered to bridge the gap in social and economic development.
She, however, encouraged the youths to go for positions advertised in the county to ensure that their voices are heard.
The County Official said that the Department of Gender has been at the forefront in engaging the youth to ensure that their ideas and interests were well captured and addressed.
“We want youths’ voices to be heard to ensure that the gap between the youths and the older generation is at par in terms of political ideologies, social inclusion and economic empowerment,” said Bange.
By Geoffrey Makokha
