Waiguru urges MPs to approve jobs policy

Devolution and Planning Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru has called on Parliament to fast-track approval of the National Employment Policy to boost efforts to create jobs for the youth.

Speaking yesterday while opening the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) special summit on the fight against youth unemployment in Nairobi, Waiguru said the policy will enable the youth to gain from investment projects.

"Once the policy is approved, all major investments and projects in the country will be subjected to systematic analysis to determine their employment creation potential before they are adopted for implementation," she said.

Ms Waiguru alurged MPs to turn the policy document into a sessional paper so that it can have more impact, adding that all state departments are being analysed to determine the number of jobs they can create.

She said unemployment in Kenya, which currently stands at 12.7 per cent, mostly affects the youth between ages of 18 and 35 years, who account for over 30 per cent of the total population.

"The youth population in Kenya has grown from 3.3 million in 1969 to about 16 million today. The statistics show that Kenya is experiencing a youth bulge, that is a labour force that is predominantly youthful," she said.

The summit is meant to come up with a framework for solving the problems of unemployment in the continent.

ICGLR Executive Secretary Prof Ntumba Luaba urged the youth to work hard.

"Think outside the box. Walk the road less travelled. You are the carriers of the future," Prof Ntumba said.

The summit comes after an agreement was passed in Luanda, Angola in January 2014.

"Youth from the Central African Republic have been unable to make the conference because of the problems of war. The youth are being misused. This must stop," said the Regional Multi-functional Youth Forum Chairman Kennedy Walusala. The Summit will be attended by participants from the 12 member states.