Garissa has taken a major step towards strengthening youth participation in governance and development.
This follows the launch of its youth policy and the inauguration of an Interim County Youth Council.
The policy seeks to create a structured framework through which young people can participate in decision-making, public affairs, community service and volunteerism, while ensuring that their priorities are incorporated into the county’s development plans.
Garissa Deputy Governor Abdi Dagane described the initiative as a landmark intervention that would give young people a more meaningful role in shaping the future of the county.
He said the youth constitute an important resource whose ideas, skills and energy must be harnessed for sustainable development.
“The youth are the cornerstone of the county’s development. We cannot plan for the future while leaving out the very generation that will inherit and drive that future,” Dagane said during the launch, where he was the chief guest.
He said the policy should not remain a document on paper but must translate into tangible opportunities for young people across the county.
Dagane challenged the newly inaugurated council to become a strong link between the youth and the county government by identifying challenges facing young people and helping to advance solutions through dialogue and collaboration.
“We want a youth council that listens, engages and delivers. The voices of young people must find their way into our plans, budgets and programmes,” he said.
The deputy governor said the county government remained committed to creating an enabling environment where young people could participate in governance, access opportunities and contribute to community development.
Gender and youth executive Hawa Sahal said empowering young people was not only about providing employment and economic opportunities but also about giving them the confidence and space to participate in matters affecting their communities.
“Young people should not only be seen as beneficiaries of government programmes. They are development partners and they must be involved in designing, implementing and evaluating the programmes meant to serve them,” she said.
Abdi Mohamed, one of the interim county youth council officials, said young people in Garissa and the wider NEP region continue to face challenges that include unemployment, limited access to economic opportunities, skills gaps and inadequate platforms for meaningful participation in public decision-making.
He called for greater inclusion of young people in governance, arguing that policies targeting them are more likely to succeed when the intended beneficiaries are involved in their formulation and implementation.
“I hope this policy that has just been launched will not be a mere document on paper. It must be translated into tangible opportunities for young people across the county,” Mohamed said.
“Its success will ultimately depend on how effectively it is implemented, funded and translated into programmes that deliver measurable benefits to young people across the county.”
Among the roles of the interim officials is to help eliminate duplication of initiatives, improve coordination and ensure interventions respond to the actual needs of young people across Garissa.
The interim youth council is expected to bring together youth representatives from the subcounties, youth-serving sectors and other key stakeholders.
They are also expected to strengthen coordination among youth groups, facilitate engagement between young people and government, identify emerging youth concerns and support the implementation of programmes targeting young people.
The council is also expected to provide a formal platform through which the youth can contribute to policy discussions and participate in monitoring programmes and projects designed to improve their welfare.
