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{
    "id": 834031,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/834031/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 101,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Saboti, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Caleb Luyai",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2740,
        "legal_name": "Caleb Amisi Luyai",
        "slug": "caleb-amisi-luyai"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I rise to support this Motion. In fact, the Member for Mathare has read my mind in presenting this Motion. This Motion is timely. They say that the youth of a nation are the trustees of prosperity. Therefore, as a nation, we have a choice either to take advantage of the youth population bulge to spur the economic growth or to leave them to become a menace. Several funds have existed in the country on youth programmes, one of them being the Uwezo Fund. Some of these funds point to Uwezo Fund that was mostly geared towards entrepreneurial skills. Not all our youths are entrepreneurs. Some have to pursue education as others pursue their various talents. So, it is important that we merge most of these funds into one kitty, so that we can take care of the various interests of the youths. Research has shown that nine in every 10 of the unemployed Kenyans are below 35 years. So, as a nation, we are grappling with a high unemployed youth population. Some of them have been taken away by the societal social vices. Some have been recruited in terrorism groups while others have been carried away in drugs and prostitution and other vices that are destroying the social fabric of this nation. So, Hon. Deputy Speaker, it is timely that as a nation, we must think critically of how to harness the potential of our youths. One way is merging all the funds that have been allocated before into one constituency fund that will be managed by an authority. There is an Act called the Social Assistance Act. This Act has never been operationalised. It gives allowance for the Government to take care of the vulnerable groups and the elderly. The youths are also vulnerable. If we have pesa kwa wazee, why can we not have pesa kwa vijana since they are equally vulnerable? It is now important that we declare this a national disaster. We should also have a national conversation around it so that we are able to take care of the youthful force that forms an integral part of our nation. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}