The municipal board of the recently created Marsabit town municipality has started creating awareness about its mandate and requirements for effective delivery of services to the residents.
At the same time, Marsabit County commissioner Paul Rotich has advised the youth against being particular about the ever dwindling white color jobs.
The municipal manager Golicha Boru said it was only through education that the obligations of the municipality which is charged with the responsibility of rendering services to the residents could be understood.
Mr Boru while speaking during a two day training workshop for 109 youths who are engaged in the Kazi Mtaani as supervisors, said there was need to sensitize residents on the importance of taking care of systems that the government and development partners were setting up to make the municipality operational.
The manager specifically pointed out security lights that the county government is installing in the town for improved security and environment for business.
Mr Boru noted that the clearing of bushes and opening up of access roads with the help of the Kazi Mtaani workers had greatly improved the security situation in the town which he said has to be sustained.
“Workers in the hygiene program have helped in giving this town a new look and that is why we approved their request for this mentorship training” he said adding that ownership from residents was required for the street lights, water and sewerage lines that are being laid for sustainability.
He said that municipal by-laws that would enable the management to run the municipality in an orderly and effective manner were on the way.
The manager added that the board was sourcing tree seedlings from the Kenya forest service for planting this rainy season aimed at not only moderating the weather but mitigating climate change.
According to Mr Boru, the municipal management was committed to rendering effective services commensurate to the taxes paid by the residents.
The by-laws would help check on uncontrolled livestock grazing within the municipality which devour trees and soil the environment.
The county commissioner commended the team work shown between the local Kazi Mtaani secretariat and the municipal board as the good working relations had made the program to a large extent realize its objectives.
Mr Rotich pointed out that apart from the hygiene program enabling the innovation and youth affairs department to identify training needs for the youths engaged in Kazi Mtaani it also aimed at making them hardy in resolving challenges that face them.
The administrator advised the youth not to be choosy when it comes to work as far as it offered them with a source of income.
He called on the youth working for the Kazi Mtaani and school leavers to enroll for technical courses at Vets in order to acquire skills that would enable them to develop their talents.
A supervisor in Cohort 1, Jillo Fugicha especially welcomed the mentorship component in the program where the workers are taken through sessions on national values, discipline , counselling and team building among others saying it has greatly changed their perception on patriotism.
She said that lessons on unity and positive ethnicity have changed their perception as concerns County and national matters as they no longer view themselves on clan or tribal lines but as Kenyans.
Ms Fugicha pointed out the activities carried out under the national hygiene program initiative were adding value to the lives of residents as they are now able to live in a safe and clean environment.
“The access roads that have been opened all over have shortened distances to Marsabit town centre while the clearing of bushes has made it safer for us” she said.
By Sebastian Miriti
