- Baringo recently welcomed 363 students’ graduands from the Baringo County Government Scholarship.
- Even though peace was at the center of the talks, youths were also warned about substance abuse.
- The launch comes at a time when Baringo County is being governed by youthful a leadership.
The Kenya Youth Organisation (KYO) has condemned the current attacks causing high insecurity in Baringo County with a remarkable setup of a one-of-a-kind branch in the bandit-prone zone.
Speaking during the launch on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at the Kenya School of Government in Kabarnet, the director of the organisation, Martin Wasiche, termed the function as not a mere organisational but a peace launch that will henceforth change the narrative in the region.
Wasiche emphasized that through his leadership the organisation will partner with the County government to come up with different ways of winning the youth to embrace peace even after the national government deployment of security forces in the region that are still operational.
Accompanied by KYO President Joe Chuchu, National Nominee Gilbert Kiprotich, and the Founder of Matunda Mazuri Foundation Kiarie Kenneth, several leaders called for the need to have the youth`s actions and talks heal Baringo region through various activities.
By creating community-based organizations (CBOs) youuths were encouraged to make a change by themselves by coming together rather than waiting for top officials to come and lead initiatives that they would later play a third party to.
Baringo youth were further encouraged to also unite and not politicize the new organisation, giving key focus to each of their villages since the KYO structure has grassroots representations which makes it easier services to reach every citizen in the country.
Meanwhile, speaking on behalf of the County Government of Baringo, the Devolution, Public Service, and Administration, Penina Bartuin, together with the Chief Officer, of Youth Affairs, Sports, and Gender, Dennis Kimutai Korir, both echoed the need to have the youth take full advantage of the digital space, which is the key pillar of the Kenyan economy.
According to the duo, not only does it matter to the economy, but digital spaces forms one of the key development agendas of the current regime.
The launch comes at a time when Baringo County is being governed by youthful leadership. Out of the 19 Chief Officers, three-quarters of them are youth.
Baringo Youth Affairs Chief Officer Dennis Kimutai Korir, who formed part of the youth figure, promised to partner with new Chapter during his tenure as a leader in their county government as he sees towards its progress in achieving the set objectives.
Even though peace was at the center of the talks, youths were also warned about substance abuse.
From other delegate’s viewpoint, by keeping the youth busy and awarding them opportunities, they will find no time to engage in activities that can destroy their lives rather than build the community and provide for a livelihood.
A good number of the leaders vowed to walk with the youth under the newly formed KYO, ensuring that they embrace developments.
Citing an example of his own home-based foundation, Matunda Mazuri founder, Kenneth Kiarie, claimed that the lives of several youths in Murang’a have changed due to the organization’s impact, and he further looks forward to expanding it to the whole Mount Kenya region.
‘’Be the voice of the people. As a youth, I am embracing climate change by ensuring every ten trees planted, one is indigenous and one is a fruit, and this is possible country-wide,” Kiarie commented.
Kiarie encouraged the youth to take advantage of available training and seek empowerment to be able to also benefit from the carbon credits.
Touching on the issue of high insecurity in Baringo, he called for a change in approach to dealing with the issue.
‘’If it is the cattle, then let’s change the narrative, do away with all the cattle, and let them embrace farming; this might work,” Kiarie further commented.
On their side, other delegates challenged the youths to come up with community-based organizations (CBOs) that can help them make a difference and not wait for other leaders to come from their seats and bring them together.
The Baringo-based branch now forms part of several other branches of KYO that have since sprouted all over the country after a July 2023 induction at the Bomas of Kenya, spearheaded by Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba.
Furthermore, under its nationwide umbrella, the organization is expected to catch up with other fellow KYO youth who have already started their various projects, including planting 1,000 trees.
Guided by a constitution that has a five-year term, the leaders who were selected during the launch are expected to serve a term that runs parallel with the Kenyan government.
The leadership structure was also balanced with its representation having a gender equality structure, minority factor representation, and including people living with disabilities (PWD).
With this, the KYO County Executive Team was tasked with working with the County Government leaders as their juniors in the sub-county got paired with the members of parliaments, and further to the ward levels, they were asked to work hand in hand with their local members of county assemblies.
With a major mandate, to lead youth representation across the county, the team now embarks on a journey that will focus on four main pillars: Youth Advocacy, Peacebuilding, Security and climate change, among others which will focus in all seven sub-counties of Baringo.
Currently the county hosts, Baringo North, Baringo South, Baringo Central, Mogotio, Eldama Ravine, and Tiaty sub-county with the youngest sub-county being Tiaty East constituency.
As a county, Baringo recently welcomed 363 students who graduated, through the Baringo County Government sponsorship of information, communication, and technology (ICT).
A majority of this number, who were also guests during the launch of the organization, were encouraged to embrace self-employment through their digital skills, to curb the hike in the unemployment rate and create revenue for the local region.
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Through the Baringo County Devolution, Public Service, and Administration, the event outlined that dialogue with the youth, just like the one that was held, was a better approach to engaging them and restoring peace in the area than security deployment.
Peace sanitization, strategizing on policy reforms in regards to substance abuse, and helping victims of the bandit attack, was just but one of the ways, the event proved to foster peace and use different talents which is a youthful resource.
Congratulations