Mombasa: Youth representatives from the six sub-counties of Mombasa County have marked the 15th anniversary of the 2010 Constitution by urging the County Government to enhance youth involvement in governance, employment creation, and development programs. Speaking at the Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI) offices, the youth, drawn from advocacy groups across the country, emphasized the need for meaningful participation in public policy and resource allocation.
According to Kenya News Agency, Jocabeth Mawia acknowledged the county's efforts to integrate youth programs into policy frameworks but said more needed to be done to secure a long-term impact. 'We recognize the initiatives aimed at addressing unemployment and economic empowerment, but we have identified gaps in the County Programme-Based Budget for the 2025/2026 financial year,' she noted.
Another youth, Maureen Atieno, said the budget lacked a comprehensive employment framework to guide job creation for young people. She recommended the establishment of a countywide employment strategy and the enactment of a Mombasa Youth Volunteering and Internship Policy to strengthen programs such as 'Mombasa ni Yangu.' Furthermore, she called for the operationalization of the Mombasa Youth Revolving Fund with an allocation of Sh50 million to support small businesses and boost economic empowerment. She urged the County Government to clarify the current status of the fund, saying its implementation remained uncertain.
Abed Juma pointed out that while the budget referenced the renovation of 18 facilities, it failed to provide details such as names and locations. He said this limited accountability and transparency. Juma asked the county to issue a progress report on the status of sports centres and ensure independent verification of ongoing works, including the refurbishment of Mombasa International Stadium, which is reported to be 70 percent complete. He further urged investment in structured cultural and sports programs beyond infrastructure refurbishment, with a focus on talent identification, coaching, and event organisation to promote social cohesion and youth inclusion.
On his part, Edwin Shamir said a petition submitted to a county department had not received any response. He noted that, under the Constitution of Kenya 2010, all government entities and public institutions are required to respond to queries addressed to them, adding that failure to do so constitutes a violation of the Constitution.
Sally Mohammed raised concerns over the absence of clear plans for youth empowerment centres in the county's budget. She called for dedicated funding to establish and equip the centres with training, mentorship, psychosocial support, and access to county programs. She also recommended the enactment of a comprehensive Mombasa County Youth Development Policy to provide a framework for program design, coordination, and monitoring. She said the lack of such a policy had resulted in fragmented interventions with limited impact on youth-targeted initiatives.