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{
    "id": 834041,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/834041/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 111,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Endebess, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr.) Robert Pukose",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1458,
        "legal_name": "Robert Pukose",
        "slug": "robert-pukose"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker, for allowing me to contribute to this very important Motion. The issue of youth unemployment in this country is a very serious issue that needs not just to be talked about, but we also need to look for solutions. With the advent of the new Constitution and devolution, unfortunately, this country has been balkanised such that even creating opportunities for the youth has been a problem. Those who are beneficiaries in county governments are either from the community of the governor or close friends of the governor. That has created a big problem. Today, youth in this country do not even know where they can get employment. Even with the issue of tenders, we have created bottlenecks that have made it very difficult for the youth to access tenders. Even the percentage of tenders that we said is for the youth, and there is a law to that effect, is not being implemented. We have created bottlenecks for the youth, which has made it very difficult for them to access tenders. Look at the AGPO programme. The youth have to pay annual fees. For them to apply for any document from the National Construction Authority (NCA) or other entities to access tenders, they have to pay money, which makes it very difficult for the youth to access tenders. In the last Parliament, we passed the Companies Act, but I think those within the Government have made it very difficult for the youth to operate. When it comes to issues of employment, you are asked for experience. Where does somebody who has just cleared university going to get experience from? These are issues that make me support this Motion. We must declare youth unemployment a national disaster, have the Government take a serious look at it and look for ways of addressing the youth problem - not just the youth who have cleared university and colleges, but even the ones who have dropped out of school. How are we going to address their issues? We are not going to allow them to continue staying idle. That since one did not go to the university, that is their end. That will be creating a vicious cycle of poverty. A youth who has never been to university is going to marry somebody who has not gone to university and their children are not going to go to university. So, we will create a poverty chain and dependency by that cadre of the youth. Hon. Deputy Speaker, with those few remarks, I support the Motion."
}