The East Africa Youth Parliament (EAYP) has expressed its concern over financial wastage by government agencies in the last one year.
The youths noted that Kenya was ranked among the top countries in the East Africa region where public funds were being misappropriated leading to poor services to the electorate.
This came as lack of employment in the region was blamed for the rising cases of organized crime with money laundering and terrorism leading.
This emerged when EAYP and the National Treasury embarked on a three-day financial governance and leadership training in Masada Hotel in Naivasha.
According to EAYP President Jeremiah Mumo, the financial wastage in the government agencies was worrying and hence the need to address it.
Mumo lauded the measures taken by the Kenya Kwanza government in dealing with issues of graft in various departments.
“We are deeply concerned by the massive wastage of public resources through graft, unwarranted seminars and international travels,” he said.
Addressing the press on the sidelines of the workshop, Mumo said that they would be working with the National Treasury in training government officers on sound financial management.
“Tens of youths have been locked from job opportunities in the country and we are keen to work with the State in addressing this,” he said.
Nakuru County Commissioner Layford Kibaara who was the Chief Guest admitted that the issue of unemployment was a major challenge in the region.
With job opportunities dwindling, he noted that this had led to an increase in cases of organized crimes with major towns already feeling the heat.
“The issue of unemployment is a thorn in the flesh and we should think outside the box with cases of terrorism, cybercrime and money laundering on the rise,” he said.
Kibaara said that the government was keen to work with the East Africa Youth Parliament in addressing various issues affecting the youths.
He said that with an increase in population around the East Africa region, there were more complex challenges that needed joint collaboration to resolve them.
“The number of educated youths leaving colleges and universities in the region is on the rise and we need to increase the job market,” he said.
The Secretary EAYP Kevin Mugwe admitted that unemployment was a ticking time bomb adding that youths should be involved in decision making.
“There is so much space in the digital-world and this can be used to address the current crisis created by unemployment,” he said.
