An MP has moved to cool tempers of a local youth lobby group over remarks that were recently made by local security agents and elders that have led to subsequent harassments and arrests.
The arrests are allegdly targeting youth in the twin estates of Mawanga and Teachers in Nakuru Town East over insecurity and unemployment.
Area Member of Parliament David Gikaria, while inspecting development projects in the area on Wednesday, told the youths to exercise tolerance as the government had a lot of plans in store for them. He was reacting to a petition that was made by a local youth group leaders to elected leaders to create employment opportunities for the youth as they promised during election campaigns.
The youth leaders had castigated an earlier accusation by security agents led by the area chief Mary Kamau that they are idle alcoholics and involved in crime terrorising residents. The youth leaders led by the Mawanga Youth Agenda (MYA) chairman Antony Gitonga had strongly criticised the remarks and condemned security agents for harassing innocent jobless youths.
In subsequent police swoops in filthy drinking joints that followed the remarks made during a baraza on insecurity in the area, tens of youth were arrested and several illicit brews dens torched by the security agents under the command of the area chief.
Gikaria asked the youth to register themselves in groups to benefit from various youth driven development funds and employment opportunities the local and central governments had initiated. He said two market centres and a social hall still under construction would soon be opened to enhance self-employment for the local youth.
At the same time, Gikaria asked contractors and other investors working in the area to consider employing locals.