CS Sicily Kariuki cautions Nyeri youth against voting for a ‘wrong president’

Gender and Youth Affairs CS Sicily Kariuki (left and Othaya MP Mary Wambui (right) join youth in a dance at Othaya Stadium in Nyeri on December 16, 2016. It was during the launch of the youth empowerment program which will involve 800 cohorts from the constituency. PHOTO: KIBATA KIHU/STANDARD

NYERI: Youth and Gender CS Sicily Kariuki has warned youth in Nyeri against electing the wrong president amid fears of voter apathy in Mt Kenya region, an area perceived to be a Jubilee stronghold.

Ms Kariuki asked youth to register as voters and take part in voting for the country's next crop of leaders even as reports point to a region less enthusiastic about the 2017 polls.

"I hear that the youth in this area are not interested in registering as voters but if you do not have an identification and voters card you need to get one now and elect your president", Ms Kariuki said.

She added: "The constitution prohibits me from playing politics but I cannot return here if Uhuru is not president".

She was speaking at Othaya Stadium on Friday where alongside legislator Mary Wambui she launched the second phase of the National Youth Service cohort program and gave out cheques worth Sh19 million to youth and women in the constituency.

The new phase of the program is expected to provide close to 1000 youth from the constituency with employment and will cost the government Sh10 million each month.

"The 1st round of this program will be three months and Sh30 million will have been used to pay the youth", Ms Kariuki said.

Under the program, the cohorts will be involved in environmental management by planting trees on Karima Hills and cleaning the town and developing infrastructure around the constituency. They are also expected to upgrade Othaya stadium.

Othaya MP Mary Wambui called on the youth to take advantage of the program to economically empower themselves.

A portion of the cohort's wages will be saved in a sacco to ensure economic sustainability for the young youth.

"We are going to see the economy within the constituency being revived but what is more important this saving will not be possible if we have fights and elect leaders that are not development minded", Wambui said.

She asked the youth and differently abled people to take advantage of the program.

At the same time the CS cautioned the youth against absenteeism and reporting to duty drunk.

The residents are reaping from President Uhuru Kenyatta's visit to the region last month where residents petitioned him to intervene in several development projects such as upgrading the local stadium which will be the first to be done by NYS.