A group of Uasin Gishu residents have proposed that assets recovered by the government in the war against corruption be redirected to programmes that will empower the youth.
The group including religious and political leaders as well as business persons said President Uhuru Kenyatta should put in place measures that will ensure recovered corruption proceeds are channeled towards empowerment of youth to reduce youth unemployment.
Speaking over the weekend during the opening of a restaurant at Shauri Estate in Eldoret town, the group led by Megun ward Member of County Assembly Julius Sang, Reverend Steven Mburu and Businessman Josphat Gachohi proposed that the recovered assets be pooled into a revolving fund where eligible youth can access affordable loans for setting up businesses.
“Many unemployed youth qualify for loans and jobs but are denied opportunities because of corruption and they finally end up languishing in abject poverty in slums and villages despite having the requisite skills and qualifications,” they said.
The group hailed the President’s boldness in the fight against corruption in government and urged him to continue waging the war relentlessly.
They asked county and national governments to involve all stakeholders in the allocation of public resources to ensure fairness and equity especially when identifying those that benefit from youth and women enterprise loans as well as government tenders set aside for the youth, women and persons with disability.
By Kiptanui Cherono