- Parents are blamed for playing a role in encouraging the increase in the taking of illicit brews by always giving their sons money.
- The MP challenged the KYO leaders to focus on changing the Sub-County and not shy away from illicit brew issues, as he has already lost six of his friends through the vice.
- He tasked the KYO youth with the initiative to create avenues to engage the rest of the youth and make them progressive.
Eldama Ravine youths, especially men, need to be empowered on ways to ensure they are active providers.
Parents are blamed for playing a role in encouraging the increase in the taking of illicit brews by always giving their sons money.
“It is a fact; you can prove it yourselves. Most men do not listen to their fathers. Instead, men will always follow their mothers because they know they will eat at the end of the day, yet they do not know where the mother got money for the food. This should stop.”
These were sentiments by Eldama Ravine Member of Parliament, Musa Sirma.
While in a meeting addressing his constituency youth leaders elected under the Kenya Youth Organisation (KYO) early this year, the MP insisted that the biggest enemy of progress is alcohol.
The KYO meeting, the first with the MP, happened on August 26, 2023, in Taidy’s Eldama Ravine Sub-County, Baringo County.
If only people would change their ways and go to church, take seriously the culture of educating their children and engage in doing business, the Eldama Ravine Sub-County residents would be far developed.
Combating the menace
The MP challenged the KYO leaders to focus on changing the Sub-County and not shy away from illicit brew issues, as he has already lost six of his friends through the vice.
He says his followers would urge him not to talk about eradicating illicit brew because he would lose his votes, something he says nothing will change his opinion on.
He says residents should stop living in denial.
Being a student of illicit brew, Sirma regrets his wasted years.
Expounding on his knowledge of KYO, Sirma says it is a country-wide organization focusing on youth issues.
The resource in it is the youth, whom he says made a bigger percentage of his voters in the just concluded 2022 general election.
He says his leadership is inclusive of the youth, and they require accountability from the political leadership, unlike in the past, where they just followed suit.
Sirma insists that every politician has to take care of his or her electorate.
“Empowerment will not be achieved unless it comes at a cost. You have to work for it,” he said.
Accountability
According to his research, most clients who take loans from most financial institutions in Eldama Ravine are women, initiating a wave of being depended upon by men because they are believed to always have money.
He says easily available resources are prone to be used carelessly and thus lost with no value.
Sirma challenged the KYO leaders to be transparent and truthful if they were to pursue future leadership positions.
He said every step is all about how one utilizes one’s time.
Engaging the youth
The MP has tasked the KYO youth with the initiative to create avenues to engage the rest of the youth and make them progressive.
He affirmed his support in funding viable projects taken to him.
“…help fellow youth be engaged in ways they can get rich, because leading poor people is costly. The rich will always support you and make things easier.
First, start with campaigns against alcohol abuse, muguka and drugs. Be the champions of fighting such vices, and it will guarantee you advancement,” added Sirma.
He said the area has great weather, which supports farming.
The availability of agricultural activities means job creation and will, in the end, facilitate education.
He asked those without farms to take advantage of the forest around them through the right channels, asking the youth to embrace working in groups to combine efforts in their projects and thus multiply faster.
Planting more trees
Speaking about the need to plant over 15 billion trees by 2030, he challenged youths to start preparing their nurseries and partake in the funding of up to 9.2 million meant for environmental and forest conservation.
He promised to initiate environment and forest conservation funding under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) that will help further propel the project meant to be achieved by 2023.
He cautioned against financial lenders who are quick to auction clients’ items.
Concerning boda boda sacco suggested by one of the youths in the meeting, Sirma said that the Hustler Fund has now been increased to 1 million for groups of 10 credit-free people.
People should take advantage of the offer.
Key projects
In his speech, the MP also highlighted five key projects he wishes the KYO youth members in his constituency would touch on.
One is the fight against drugs.
Secondly, he said KYO should liaise with the chief to register those above 70 years to benefit from the elderly monthly stipend, saying the flagship will be soon.
Thirdly, youth should engage in tree planting projects to curb climate change by striving to benefit from the current 15 billion tree project funding by 2030, confirming that registered groups will benefit more, thus the need to have more tree nurseries.
The trees would be planted along water catchment areas, the forest, and allocated pieces of land.
President Dr. William Ruto is expected to chair the upcoming Earth Summit in Nairobi.
The summit will be able to qualify Kenya to receive the Carbon Credit fund.
Fourthly, it is the building of ICT Hub creation centers in every ward in Eldama Ravine Sub County.
He pioneered the idea that it is meant to enable youth to do business daily with other continents by offering cheaper services.
He says his fifth key initiative is about TikTok, which should have the youth produce positive content.
Sixth, the MP urged the KYO youth to back up education growth.
He said that after a very long time, his leadership has ensured no politics in bursary disbursement.
The funds have been distributed to every needy member.
He argued that students should not be used to play political scores through CDF allocation in secondary schools.
Kamelilo Day Secondary School and Mercy Girls High School in Eldama Ravine, he says, have had encounters that do not reflect justice in their daily running of activities.
Sirma says day school students cannot be forced to pay lunch fees and even be sent home to go and fetch it as it waters down the sense that it is a day school.
Speaking about Mercy Girls High School in Eldama Ravine, he says allegedly stolen funds are unfair, as the same parents will be subjected to contributing the money again.
“It is unfortunate that nonsense is happening in Mercy Girls, am not going to spare the rod….” he adds.
Sirma pledged free Day Secondary School education come January 2024.
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Refuting the notion that these schools have been left for students from humble backgrounds, he said they have posted good grades and need support.
He says the grading system too, has denied some the opportunity to join great schools.
