Government to Offer Continental Platform for Youths to Showcase Creativity and Innovation

Nairobi,

Tuesday, December 5, 2023

KNA by Juma Nalami/Michael Omondi

The Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports in collaboration with the National Holidays Thematic Committee have launched the beginning of the Youth Week to celebrate the youth and champion their potential towards a better future.

The week themed ‘Youth Innovating a Borderless African Renaissance’, culminates in Jamhuri Day celebrations as Kenya turns 60 and the 6th Edition of the Youth Connect Africa Summit in the same week, whose objective is to bring together over twenty thousand delegates across Africa to have leadership dialogues, be involved in governance and interact hence, learning each other’s ideas.

Speaking during the event, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei took the chance to invite all youth to be part of the public service in the government, announcing that the Commission has established an internship program for the youth who are finalizing their higher education or on attachments to extend contracts to them rather than elderly individuals.

“As a government, we are very clear and deliberate in ensuring that the youth are mainstreamed into the public service right from college up to employment,” he maintained.

At the same time, Cabinet Secretary (CS) Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports Ababu Namwamba, pointed out that the week will also have an aspect of sports, since one of the significant movement for the week will be the Green Marathon which will serve the energy and passion of the youth and Kenya's sporting heritage.

“It is going to be an incredible opportunity for us to draw attention to the sporting heritage of Kenya and to the green agenda where our president has taken a global leadership position,” he expressed.

While addressing the issue concerning the plans put in place to link the creative economy to the cultural industry, the CS admitted to have made deals with incredible brands such as the National Basketball Association (NBA), and Invention Studios in Los Angeles Hollywood, a deal with Grammys and Trace, to support the music ecosystem, which he promised will bring a lot of zest in music, fashion, film and theater.

Equally, Namwamba said that his Ministry has been working closely with schools around music festivals, drama and film festivals, and school ball games, disclosing that the Ministry financed these activities to a tune of Ksh 237 Million.

On the Hustler Bazaar, he likened it to a continental platform, where the African Youth will showcase their products and businesses amongst themselves and other interests across the continent.

In his remarks, the Chairperson of the National Holidays Thematic Committee Dennis Itumbi, highlighted that there will be variety of activities during the week such as actual jobs for the youth to apply, several launches of youth programs by various partners such as TikTok and the Hustler Bazaar, where young people in business and innovation will have an opportunity to sell their merchandise.

Itumbi added that the Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC) will be occupied by all these activities planned for the youth before Jamhuri Day.

Courtesy; KNA