The high unemployment rate in Mombasa has pushed youth groups to demand engagement with the county government. Youth in Mombasa have issued several demands to Governor Abdulswamad Nassir. Photos: Abdulswamad Nassir, Harrison Kivisu (TUKO). Source: Facebook The groups want Mombasa governor Abdulswamad Nassir to urgently convene a meeting to discuss the issue, failure to which they have threatened to stage protests. Other issues that the youth groups want the county to address include eradication of drug abuse and the need for social and economic inclusion.
What are the issues affecting Mombasa youth? Led by Elizabeth Mawia, one of the most vocal young people in Mombasa, the groups also cited the dire state of entrepreneurship and emphasized the role of sports in strengthening social cohesion among them. “We are asking the government to involve us in the social economic development because the economic empowerment and inclusion in the county government is not factoring the youth rights and duty to participation,” said Mawia. Speaking in Mombasa on Wednesday, August 27, the youth, drawn from different professions, including legal, teaching, and activism, also called for gender issues to be prioritized in county programs, as well as the development of solutions to challenges faced by at-risk youth. Maureen Atieno and Afsa Riyaz, both young people from Mombasa, claimed the county had sidelined the youth in all development processes. They demanded for full inclusion.
“Mombasa lacks transparency in all processes. We have witnessed a problem in empowerment projects as some of the empowerments currently undertaken by the county are politically based,” said Otieno. “The absence of youth centers is a huge gap; we have really been suffering because there are no youth centers, even after budgets being allocated to establish these important centers. We demand to see these centers and also want to know the budgets allocated,” added another youth leader.
The groups believe that dialogue will pave the way for a strong partnership with the county government in advancing youth development. Some of the youth in Mombasa who want the county to convene a meeting to address issues affecting them. Mombasa’s youth unemployment rate currently stands at 40 percent, with a significant number of young people living in poverty. “We want an open dialogue on pressing issues affecting the youth, explore potential synergies for creating solutions to the problems, as well as identify actionable strategies for partnerships,” Riyaz said. How is Mombasa county investing in youth-focused programmes?
However, while addressing the unemployment issue, Mombasa governor Abdulswamad Nassir stated that the county government is investing in programs aimed at absorbing a significant portion of the young population into sustainable jobs. “We are committed to empowering our young people through structured programs in sectors like technology and the environment. These initiatives will not only create jobs but also equip our youth with skills for the future,” said Nassir while issuing identity cards to young people at Treasury Square. “As part of the Mombasa Yangu program, this September, we will launch a street-cleaning initiative. We will give that job to the youth, and after three months, all young people involved will be collecting garbage with a salary,” he added.
By Joshua Cheloti, Harrison Kivisu
