Members of Parliament from Western are preoccupied with Opposition politics and the 2017 elections at the expense of development, Members of County Assembly have said.
MCAs Richard Muchesia (Isukha Central), Titus Kwoma (Chekalini) and Kelvin Olengo (Namamali) criticised MPs for failure to lobby for initiation of National Youth Services (NYS) programmes in the region.
“The NYS programme is under the national government and if they (MPs) cannot have it implemented here in Western Kenya, then they have failed the electorate,” Mr Muchesia said.
Mr Kwoma accused MPs of concentrating on divisive and self-seeking projects while the county lags behind in development. Mr Olengo explained that it’s the responsibilities of MPs to petition the Government after identifying projects to be implemented.
He accused unnamed MPs of using the county youth programme dubbed ‘Kazi Mashinani’ to gain political mileage.
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“It’s embarrassing for the MPs to follow the governor to support the youth programme yet they have failed to have the same programme initiated in their areas of representation under national government. We also want to see the President or the Cabinet secretary launching the same here in Kakamega,” said Mr Muchesia.
EARN LIVING
Last week Governor Wycliffe Oparanya launched the’Kazi Mashinani’ programme that will engage youths, widows, differently enabled persons, orphans and school drop-outs in activities from which they can earn an honest living.
Kwoma said the project could easily be implemented but it depended on the MPs’ relations with the national government.
“It’s only in Lugari constituency that we have the NYS programme underway. I can tell you we have done a lot through the programme. The constituency has one of the best road networks in this county thanks to NYS,” he said.
