The State Department for Youth Affairs and Creative Economy has urgently requested additional funding allocations totaling Ksh 1.94 billion for recurrent expenses and Ksh 126 million as a Government of Kenya Counterpart Fund for the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement – Nyota program, under the Development Vote.
PS SDYACE presented this request on Wednesday, July 17th, during a session with the Hon. Alice Nganga-led Departmental Committee on Social Protection at Bunge Towers, Nairobi, for the consideration of the 2024/25 Supplementary Estimates No. 1.
In addition, PS Madey advocated for the reinstatement of capital project allocations as originally approved for the fiscal year 2024/2025. He highlighted that the proposed Supplementary Estimates No. 1 have drastically reduced or entirely eliminated funding for critical projects that serve the core mandates of the State Department. Specifically, the Youth Empowerment Centres (YEC) – BETA faced a complete funding cut, leaving the project with zero allocation for the current fiscal year.
Other adversely affected initiatives include Vijana Vuka na Afya and the Youth Fund Kenya, among others. The Kenya National Innovation Agency also suffered significant cuts, particularly affecting the hosting of Kenya Innovation Week (KIW) 2024, which plays a crucial role in identifying, nurturing, and recognizing innovators, predominantly among the youth and creatives.
The chairperson expressed concern over these austerity measures affecting the Ministry at a time when youth, especially GenZs, are actively seeking government support and fulfilment of pledges aimed at improving their livelihoods.
Hon. Nganga assured the State Department team of continued government support through the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports, emphasizing enhanced budgetary allocations to ensure impactful and sustainable projects for Kenya’s youth.
Acknowledging the growing role of youth in Kenya’s development agenda, Hon. Nganga stressed the importance of prioritizing youth inclusivity and their voices, urging a shift towards investing more in programs that directly benefit youth rather than solely focusing on infrastructure development.
The Youth Affairs and Creative Economy Sub-Sector serves as a crucial pillar in Kenya’s economic empowerment and employment creation efforts, overseeing youth policy management, legislative initiatives, and promotion of the creative industry. The State Department also coordinates youth mainstreaming, research, volunteerism, and the development of youth innovations and talents.
Aligned with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda under the Kenya Kwanza Plan (2022-2027), the State Department aims to stimulate the economy by investing in youth employability, entrepreneurship, and job creation, thereby enhancing livelihoods and fostering increased youth engagement in national development, as outlined in Executive Order No. 2 of November 2023.
Attendees at the parliamentary session included Secretary for Youth Development Raymond Ochieng HSC, CEOs, Directors, Heads of Departments, and other stakeholders committed to advancing youth-centric policies and initiatives.
