Member of Parliament for Langáta, Phelix Odiwour, commonly known as Jalang’o, has proposed a compulsory national youth service training for young Kenyans.
The youthful MP posted this on his social media channels.
According to him, enrolling youth in the training will foster discipline, unity, and strength.
“After high school, every Kenyan youth needs service & training — not just books. Discipline, unity, strength. Let’s build Kenya!” he wrote.
The National Youth Service (NYS) is a government-sponsored program, a state corporation under the Ministry of Public Service. Its main purpose is to train and empower young people with practical skills, discipline, and national values in preparation for various careers.
Since its formation in 1964, more than 170,000 Kenyans have graduated from the program. This year saw 18,000 completing the training, making it the highest number of graduands in a year.
The program has been successful so far, with members offering various services to the country. They include disaster response and national security support.
Apart from its achievements, the program also has its challenges. For example, corruption in its recruitment and management has been an issue.
NYS Scandal
In 2018, one of the largest corruption scandals rocked the then Ministry of Devolution and Planning, where more than ksh 791 million were stolen.
After years of court cases, no justice was served, with some of the mentioned perpetrators still walking around, while some even hold very big political offices in the current government.
The new proposal by Jalas, if adopted, is going to shape the service with the number of recruits poised to increase. As a member of parliament, we assume is going to table the bill in the parliament and if passed, adopt it into a new law.
With the rampant unemployment in Kenya, this will be a good initiative that will not only help in keeping the youth productive but also prepare them for adulthood.
