Mombasa: Hundreds of young people over the weekend gathered at Masinde Muliro University for the Kakamega County Youth Leadership Dialogue Forum, an event that brought together youth voices, government leaders, and development partners to chart a way forward for youth empowerment.
According to Kenya News Agency, the forum, themed 'Building Bridges, Inspiring Futures', was a joint initiative between the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports, and the County Government of Kakamega, with support from Co-operative Bank, Equity Bank, World Scout Parliamentary Union - Kenya, and the Youth Enterprise Development Fund.
Speaking at the event, Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa noted that over 75 per cent of the population in Kakamega county comprises the youth, making it essential to centre development programmes on them. He said that the county government has come up with the Kazi mashinani programme, benefiting over 3,000 people, where 80 per cent of beneficiaries are the youth. 'We will bring onboard the second cohort of Kazi mashinani in September and unveil a textile industry at Lugari to offer more opportunities to unemployed youth across the county,' he announced.
The Principal Secretary of the State Department for Youth Affairs and Creative Economy, Fikirini Jacobs, acknowledged the rising concerns around youth unemployment, attributing it to limited job opportunities and the increasing cost of living. 'The government is clearly aware that the youth need strong support structures,' he said, assuring the attendees that youth empowerment remains a central priority for the government. He added that the 2025 Finance Bill was deliberately adjusted to avoid imposing any new levies or taxes on young people.
The PS also addressed the agricultural sector as a key area for youth employment. He emphasised that the government is actively working to resolve challenges within the sugar industry, particularly in Western Kenya, to revive sugarcane farming and create sustainable job opportunities. In support of youth-led agribusiness, young attendees were introduced to Equity Bank's Kilimo Biashara Loan, which offers flexible financing options for commercial food crop farmers with affordable interest rates and lenient repayment terms, the facility is designed to support youth engaged in agriculture.
The Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum, Opiyo Wandayi, among other senior National and County Government officials, attended the forum.