NYS has no political agenda, no funds lost – Waiguru

Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru has moved to clear the air on the role in the National Youth Service (NYS) programme that has attracted mixed reactions from across the political divide.

Speaking in response to claims by CORD that NYS is a militia, Waiguru said that the department is just one of the eight under the Ministry of Devolution and has no political agenda.

She said that NYS is not a militia but an institution created to better the lives of young Kenyans.

Waiguru also refuted claims that there is over-prizing of commodities at the NYS saying the differences are not more than 30 per cent and are occasioned by fluctuation of item prizes in the market.

“Some prizes are higher but others are lower. The differences are just 20 to 30 per cent which is normal.”

She said that the difference in prizes is similar to that experienced between supermarkets and is sometimes caused by transportation cost and scarcity of particular food stuffs.

Waiguru also refuted claims of illegal tendering process at the NYS saying like all other departments at the Ministry of Devolution, its tendering process is managed by the Ministerial Tendering Committee (MTC).

CORD has in the recent past aired their concern with NYS saying the institution has been re-branded into a political machinery to instigate fear during the 2017 elections, allegations that Waiguru vehemently denied.

The Cabinet Secretary was speaking on Citizen TV’s The Big Question show on Tuesday night.