Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has urged the youth to focus on monetizing their talents as part of the solution to ending unemployment.
Speaking at Nyeri National Polytechnic, Nyeri County, during a forum dubbed ‘Mayouth Tuwe Set Initiative’, the Deputy President said that under the Digital Super Highway Pillar of the Kenya Kwanza Plan, art and creative economy are a priority in turning talent into a livelihood.
While saying that great strides have been achieved in the war on illicit brews and drugs and substance abuse, he asked the youth to exploit their potential to gain from the creative economy, which is thriving.
Fielding questions from the youth and higher education students during the National Youth Forum on Saturday evening, the Deputy President said the Government is expanding it’s investments in the creative economy to spur job creation and bolster entrepreneurship.
“We have five pillars in Kenya Kwanza Administration and one of them is a creative economy and digital highway. We are monetizing art so that all artists including content creators, dancers, actors, and all others can make their talents an income-generating activity. We will continue building the young people because they are vibrant, knowledgeable, and very encouraging. I have tremendous respect for the young people, I continue listening to them and engaging them,” said Mr Gachagua.
He stated that the Ruto Administration is focused on the empowerment of the youth and creation of opportunities in sports and arts sub-sectors.
At the event attended by thousands of youths, the Deputy President was accompanied by a host of leaders and youthful politicians led by the chairperson of Kenya Young Parliamentarians Association Mr Gitonga Mukunji, who is also the MP for Manyatta Constituency. Music artist and content creator Bahati was also present.
On employment in the country, the Deputy President said the Government is keen on creating opportunities. He asked the youth to be available and focused saying their dreams are valid.
He also asked intern teachers to be patient with their employer, the Teachers Service Commission, saying the Government has already guaranteed them that their employment terms will be converted into permanent and pensionable after two years.
“We have over 400,000 trained teachers and are registered with the Teachers Service Commission but our capacity to absorb them because of the fiscal space is limited. Last year we hired 56,000 teachers. Others were also absorbed as intern teachers with a guarantee that after two years they will automatically be hired on permanent and pensionable terms. I request them to be patient because it is better being an intern than being at home,” said Mr Gachagua.
He continued: “Getting an internship is good progress and after two years there is automatic conversion of the terms of employment. I thank our President for making a firm decision on hiring teachers and making sure we go out of our way to ensure our children have enough teachers. We continue progressively within the limited fiscal space to absorb the teachers as we go on.”
He said the Government is also exploring job opportunities in the Diaspora.
On illicit brews and drug and substance abuse, Mr Gachagua said the Government has made progress in tackling the menace.
“The issue of illicit brews and drug and substance abuse is of great concern to the President and I and indeed the entire government. We had reached a point where we did not have young people to do manual work. We have done a bit of work in countering illicit brews and drug and substance abuse by making sure the drugs and illicit brews are not readily available. People are now sombre and I am encouraged that broken families have been restored,” he stated.
He said that at the time the Ruto Administration came to power the country was losing an entire generation to illicit brews and drugs, especially in the Central region.
“There were too many drugs being peddled openly in the streets and illicit brews being sold across the country,” he said.
