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{
    "id": 94764,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/94764/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 251,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Kioni",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 49,
        "legal_name": "Jeremiah Ngayu Kioni",
        "slug": "jeremiah-kioni"
    },
    "content": "It has come out very clearly from hon. Members that guns are not the solution. This is a problem of the youth that we need to look into. We need to, clearly, differentiate criminal elements in our society from young people who are looking for something to do. It is important that we look at some of the economic activities in some of the areas that are heavily affected by these unlawful groupings. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is good that security agencies fill in the gaps, so that we do not find people getting opportunities to provide for services that would otherwise be provided by the security agents. The recruitment process of our young people needs to be fair to all. As the Minister for Public Health and Sanitation has said, young people need to see that recruitment is done fairly, so that they do not get to levels of hopelessness. It is coming out clearly that many of us – parents, the Government, the church, the mosques – are actors and we are being called upon to come together and do our bit. What is crucial is what becomes of a person who stops education at Form Four, and what becomes of a young man who stops education at Standard Eight. What are we doing, as a nation, to those people who are not able to carry with them a certificate along the corridors of power? What are we doing to families which are not able to take care of young people? Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, what is clear from hon. Members’ contributions is that this problem is our concern, as a nation. We are not going to attain Vision 2030, or the envisaged economic growth, without paying attention to the youthful population that we have. We have to avoid stigmatising and calling them by names that are not helpful. We need to reach out to them, while at the same time making sure that we have programmes that can take them on once they are out of those groups. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to recognise the contributions that were made by the Members of Parliament for Mathioya and Lari, which were also mentioned by hon. Wamalwa – that, our disciplined forces need to reach out to these people. There is need to have a special programme for them. Just as we are creating special opportunities for orphans, we need to reach out to young people who have moved away from unlawful organisations. They have decided to come and get into the fold, of course, recognising the fact that they had not gotten into bad groups because of any criminal intent but due to lack of opportunities. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those remarks, I beg to reply."
}