President Kenyatta assures Governments commitment to youth empowerment

President Uhuru Kenyatta has assured of the Government’s commitment to youth empowerment.

President Kenyatta said Kenyan youths possess a wide variety of talents that the Government is keen to nurture and develop for their benefit.

He urged stakeholders in various fields including music, sports and the arts to help the youth identify, cultivate and positively utilize their God-given talents.

“We want to ensure that our youth can enjoy the fruits of their talents fully,” the President said.

President Kenyatta was speaking at State House, Nairobi, last evening when he addressed a group of youths who participated in the new talent search show dubbed ‘Jenga Talanta’. The talent development initiative is sponsored by the Nairobi County Women Representative Rachel Shebesh.

“Going forward, we want to exploit these talents to ensure that they benefit the youth economically,” said President Kenyatta.

He urged the ministries of Education, Sports, Culture and the Arts as well as that of Information, Communication and Technology to set aside funds to support the youth in developing their talents.

The President also said more money should be allocated to the Permanent Presidential Music Commission to help spread its youth training services across the country.

“Rather than promote foreign talents which we see on television, we need also to exploit our own,” said President Kenyatta.

“We have a responsibility to help our youths engage in decent and honest income generating ventures,” he added.

He also urged facilitators of the ‘Jenga Talanta’ initiative to ensure it takes root before venturing to other counties.

“The current participants should be helped to sharpen their talents to the highest level so that they can serve as role models for their compatriots before expanding the program to counties. That way, the program will be more successful,” said President Kenyatta.

The Jenga Talanta show involved youth from all the 17 constituencies in Nairobi. The grand finale of the competition was held on Monday where Francis Omondi from Embakasi South constituency emerged the winner, Anderson Chege from Dagoretti South constituency came second while East Boys Cream from Makadara took the third position.

Ms Shebesh, who is the patron of the Jenga Talanta initiative, said she has utilized funds allocated to the Women Representative kitty to initiate various programs aimed at improving the welfare of the youth, women and people with disabilities.

The Nairobi Women Representative said she would continue working closely with the Government for the benefit of the youth, women and people with disabilities.

She said the Ksh 7 million women kitty allocated to each constituency by the National Government has gone to priority projects identified by her committee in collaboration with Nairobi residents.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Victor Odhiambo from Starehe thanked the President for his support to the youth.

He called on the Government to help the youth by ensuring that social amenities which have been neglected or grabbed are recovered and refurbished to help them develop their talents.

Also present were nominated Senator Beatrice Elachi, nominated MP Johnson Sakaja and Runyejes MP Cecily Mbarire.