A total of 773 youths have graduated after undertaking various short technical courses under the Murang’a Youth Service programme sponsored by the county government.
The youths, who formed the sixth cohort of the programme, graduated during a ceremony presided over by Governor Irungu Kang’ata at Ihura Stadium in Murang’a town.
The programme, launched in 2023, was introduced to create short-term employment opportunities for youths before enrolling them in vocational training institutions for technical courses.
More than 30 per cent of the graduands attained first-class grades in the National Industrial Training Authority examinations, with close to 10,000 youths expected to benefit from the programme by end of the year.
Kang’ata said the county came up with the initiative after realising that many of its development programmes were mainly targeting parents and older residents while leaving out the youth.
“We realised we were forgetting the youth. That is how the Murang’a Youth Service was born,” he added.
Under the programme, youths are recruited through a public balloting system aimed at ensuring fairness and transparency.
Successful applicants work for two months in town engaging in cleaning, environmental conservation and public service activities while earning Sh400 per day.
Out of the daily payment, Sh100 is given to parents to support supervision and ensure the youths report to work consistently.
After completing the community service phase, the participants are enrolled in vocational training centres and polytechnics where they pursue technical courses including hairdressing, masonry, welding, carpentry, tiling and electrical work.
The governor said that those who successfully complete the courses receive Sh15,000 as startup capital to help them venture into business.
“Getting a grade three certificate should not be the end. Continue studying. Move to grade two, then grade one. You can even proceed all the way to a degree,” he told the graduates.
The county disbursed more than Sh15 million in startup capital to graduates who qualified for the support.
MYS is one of Kang’ata’s flagship empowerment initiatives and is hailed for promoting discipline, technical skills and entrepreneurship among young people.
He said the county was now focusing on industrialisation to ensure the youths graduating from the programme secure employment opportunities and markets for their technical skills.
The governor said the county had already set aside about 800 acres for industrial development under the Murang’a Industrial Park project.
“We have a new industrial city in Murang’a. We believe that is the only way we can create employment for you. Some of you here are plumbers, and you will get jobs in such an industrial park.”
He urged MCAs to draft laws that will support the establishment of the Special Economic Zones so it can be gazette to attract investors and manufacturing companies.
Kang’ata also appealed to the national government to help in establishing utilities such as roads, power and water at the park that he said are too costly for the devolved unit.
He also called on the contractor working on the Export Processing Zone being established at Zabka in Kabati to expedite the process so processors can commence their businesses.
Deputy Governor Stephen Munania said the MYS programme has transformed the lives of beneficiaries and urban centres through improved cleanliness and environmental conservation.
“The programme is cleaning up our towns and improving the environment while creating a generation of skilled and empowered youth who can create jobs for themselves and others,” he said.
Apart from youth empowerment programmes, the county has also invested heavily in healthcare, agriculture and education through initiatives such as medical support cards for vulnerable families, bursaries, ECDE classroom construction, water projects and feeding programmes for nursery school children.
