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{
    "id": 365191,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/365191/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 171,
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    "content": "of the youth and the fact that they expect a lot any time, it is just important that we have some kind of organised arrangement whereby we can take care of their needs. Hon. Speaker, Sir, one thing which is also true is that when we leaders and politicians are campaigning we keep on promising the youth that we are going to get them employment. Sometimes you create something in their minds which is not realistic because we do not give them the steps through which they are likely to go through before they get even to where we are. This is because some of them imagine that it is just going to happen like that. Even if you gave them money and they do not have skills to manage the funds, that will still be a problem and that is the reason why it is very important that we have some kind of institutional arrangement whereby the youth can also be properly utilised. There have been quite a number of initiatives and I want to congratulate the former President, Mwai Kibaki for the schemes that he brought after the election of 2003 including this one, for example, the Women Enterprise Development Fund, Free Primary Education (FPE) and Free Secondary Education (FSE). However, the only problem was that there was lack of a follow up by those who were entrusted with running these ministries. The Government has set aside money to be utilised by the youth but we have not been able to encourage them and show them how they can make use of it. For example in my Vihiga Constituency, the youth do not take the money because they fear that when they take it there is going to be a problem. In other areas, the youth take the money and then the issue of repayment becomes a problem. Hon. Speaker, Sir, the other problem are the intermediaries which are the banks. I am happy that yesterday we were talking about the Budget Statement which will be read here tomorrow. The money that should be used by the youth must not be channeled through these financial institutions which charge very exorbitant rates to the extent that when it comes to paying back, it is a loss since the youth have not made meaningful use of the money. Hon. Speaker, Sir, the other thing which also came up and it is almost becoming a white elephant project involves Youth Empowerment Centres. Over the last five years the Government came up with a project of Youth Empowerment Centres. This project was not properly funded maybe because there was not enough money. You will find that these projects have stalled and I thought that these would be some of the areas where the youth can be brought together so that they can be given some skills or directions on what should be done. So, as we work on this Motion until it is ultimately realised, the issue of funding Youth Empowerment Centres where these youth can gain some skills or even get information about what is happening should be encouraged. So, that should also be taken into account when funds are being allocated and released. We found that this would be better if it is done at the constituency level. It is much easier because it is closer to the people. Hon. Speaker, Sir, yesterday there was some contribution and somebody talked about call centres as creation of employment. I think we have not gone into this and I am only hoping that the new Cabinet Secretary for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) takes this into account because this is another area which can also be established and will create employment for the youth. So, the youth should understand"
}