Cotu says youth employment programme flawed

By Luke Anami

The Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) has faulted the Government sponsored youth employment programme for failing to create jobs.

Cotu’s Secretary-General Francis Atwoli blamed the failure to the programme’s poor design and implementation flaws.

In his address during the 99th Session of the International Labour Organisation in Geneva Monday, Atwoli accused the Government for failing to involve workers and employers body in the implementation process.

"The Kazi Kwa Vijana, which is one of the measures designed to boost employment and protect income insecurity is yet to realise its objectives," Atwoli said when he addressed the ILO conference in Geneva.

He blamed the Government for failing to involve Cotu, the Federation of Kenya Employers as suggested in the programme’s implementation process.

Not Inclusive

"This was a political project without foresight, which excluded tripartite partners," explained Atwoli.

The Cotu boss reckons that although the country registered modest economic growth of 2.6 per cent in 2009, up from 1.6 per cent in 2008, the growth fell far short of the annual labour force supply, which is estimated at 750,000 persons. According to the latest Economic Survey, the formal sector created 55,500 new jobs last year, up from 34,000 in 2008.

The job number, however falls way below the target of 10.4 million jobs last year proposed in the Vision 2030.

"Most of the jobs were indecent, which does not portend well for the overall recovery of the economy," Atwoli said.

He took issue with some employers who rushed to declare their workers redundant whenever there was an economic crisis instead of retaining them.

Atwoli said Kenya should embrace measures that will boost creation of more job opportunities, as spelt out under the ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalisation, which provides a framework upon which to implement the jobs pact.

Sustainable Recovery

"Cotu calls for deepening and fast tracking the implementation of the jobs pact, as the key to quick and sustainable recovery," said Atwoli.

He also took issue with a section of lawyers who went to court to block the implementation of Work, Injury and Benefits Act 2007 that offers greater protection to the workers.

He claimed the court’s decision to strike off nine sections of the Act rendered the Act unoperational, hence eroding gains made in the area of Workmen’s Insurance Compensation.

He urged employers to cooperate in supporting initiatives to reinstate the legal provisions that were struck out in the Act.