Leaders in Mombasa County have been urged to address rising youth unemployment, which has been blamed for insecurity and radicalization among young Kenyans at the Coast region.
During a county youth engagement forum dubbed ‘JIACTIVATE mtaa’, Mombasa leaders were asked to join in the fight against radicalisation of youth.
JIACTIVATE chairperson Ms Sheenan Mbau said the government should provide jobs to the thousands of youth in the county as one way of making them engaged in meaningful activities that will in turn prevent them from joining terror group out of desperation.
Speaking on Wednesday in Mombasa town during the forum, Ms Mbau said the youth are the majority stakeholders in the nation’s future and the government needs to protect them from being lured into joining the terror groups.
“We are asking local leaders to join in the fight against radicalization of youth. We have done our research in several counties and we have been sensitizing the youth about their rights and responsibilities in collaboration with the county government.” Ms Mbau said.
Local youth leader Alfred Sigo asked policymakers, designers and implementors at both national and county levels to work with them in addressing unemployment among the youth.
“We call upon them to work with us as we continue to elevate the voice of Kenyan youth through extensive consultation with all stakeholders,” Mr Sigo said as quoted by Baraka FM.