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{
    "id": 838560,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/838560/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 227,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Dagoretti South, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. John Kiarie",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13322,
        "legal_name": "John Kiarie Waweru",
        "slug": "john-kiarie-waweru"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. I am very honoured to actually be seconding this very important and timely Motion by the Member representing Mathare Constituency, Hon. Anthony Oluoch, who indeed was my senior in the university and has been carrying this little thing about the youth for many years. It is known that I come from a performance background and one of the platforms that I bounced onto was a creation of Hon. Oluoch which is called Culture Week at Kenyatta University. It is not lost to this House that if there is any calamity that is facing this country, it is the bulge in youth population. In fact, on many occasions, it has been said that the bulge in the youth population in this country is a ticking time bomb. To some of us who bounced into politics on the platform of the youth agenda, we know that this time bomb is also an opportunity in itself. As such, we want to grab this opportunity, run with it and do something, not only for this generation, but also for the next one. I am reminded of the very wise words of the former President of Liberia, Madam Ellen Johnson, who said that the future generations will not judge us for our words, but for our actions. I support this Motion for three reasons. The first reason is the fact that we do not intend to end this as a Motion. We want it to become a Bill that will be passed by this Parliament. It is what Hon. Oluoch has mooted here today as the Youth Empowerment, Employment and Service Bill which will be coming to this House. Secondly, when this issue is declared a national disaster, it will get the attention it requires. We have seen matters that have been declared national disaster in this country. A few of them have been enumerated by Hon. Oluoch. I would like to make a note of the amount of attention that is directed to the declaration of hunger as a national disaster not only by the Government, but also partners who are willing to develop with us as a country. It would be important for this country to formulate a statutory fund for the youth. We have seen examples of statutory funds, including the NG-CDF and what it has done for this country. At the moment, the youth depend on the goodwill of leadership. The amount that is allocated to youth development in this country depends on the goodwill and magnanimity of our leaders. However, when we allocate a statutory amount, we shall now be attending to the plight of the young people in this country. Finally, by doing this, we shall be acting squarely within the provisions of our Constitution. Our Constitution, in Articles 43, 55, 56, speaks to the matters that have been raised in this Motion. That is why I am very honoured this morning to be seconding this very important and historic Motion. I would like to leave it there by noting that one amazing thinker called Simon Sinek once said that leadership is not thinking about the next election. It is thinking about the next generation. I second the Motion. 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."
}