CS Salim Mvurya Launches Wazo Engagement Forum to Empower Kenyan Youth

Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports, Salim Mvurya, has launched the Wazo Engagement Forum, a dynamic platform designed to enable Kenyan youth to voice their concerns, ask questions, and engage directly with policymakers.

Speaking at Kibabii University on Tuesday during the Youth Engagement Forum, Mvurya emphasized that the initiative aims to help young people recognize their strengths, set goals, and take steps toward achieving them.

The forum is also expected to foster innovation, identify opportunities, and lay the groundwork for a more inclusive and empowered future.

The event, themed “Your Voice, Your Power, Your Future”, brought together government officials, county leaders, and youth representatives to discuss pressing issues affecting young people across the country.

CS Mvurya highlighted various government programs aimed at enhancing youth participation in economic and social development, including:

The Youth Enterprise Fund – Providing young entrepreneurs with financial support and business opportunities.

The Nyota Project – Offering training resources to improve career advancement.

KSh 20 Billion Skills Development Fund – Allocated to support skills training and capacity building for young people.

Digital Economy Initiatives – Establishing digital hubs across the country to equip youth with online job opportunities.

Entrepreneurship Financing – Through the Youth Fund and Absa Fund, young business owners can access financial assistance to scale their ventures.

Mvurya reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring youth from diverse backgrounds, including university graduates, TVET students, and those in rural areas, are at the center of development efforts.

Bungoma County’s Commitment to Youth EmpowermentBungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to empowering young people, particularly through:The 30% Government Procurement Rule, which ensures that youth-led businesses secure a share of public tenders.

LPO Financing, where the county engages banks to support young entrepreneurs in accessing financing upon securing tenders.“I encourage you to come forward; we will assist you, even engaging banks to ensure that once you have an LPO (Local Purchase Order), you can access financing.

Once you complete the business, the banks recover their money,” Governor Lusaka assured the youth.

Additionally, Lusaka announced the completion of Masinde Muliro Stadium in Kanduyi, which will provide better sports facilities for young athletes, and confirmed that the Chemoge High Altitude Training Centre in Mt. Elgon is under construction to establish a national training center for aspiring athletes.

Governor Lusaka challenged the youth to be proactive in seeking opportunities rather than waiting for them.

“Opportunities often come disguised as challenges, hard work, or even failures. The most successful people in the world did not wait for opportunities—they created them. Success is not about luck but about personal choices and actions,” he stated.

Kanduyi MP John Makali raised concerns about excessive bureaucracy in accessing government tenders and job opportunities, urging policymakers to simplify these processes and proactively reach out to the youth.

Makali also expressed disappointment in the low uptake of government training programs, revealing that despite training 149 youth groups in Kanduyi Constituency, only 24 had applied for funding.

“This shows a need for better outreach and education on the available programs. We must bridge the gap between opportunity and access so that more young people benefit,” he stated.

The Wazo Engagement Forum will be rolled out in different counties across Kenya, creating a structured approach to youth participation in governance, economic empowerment, and skills development.

CS Mvurya encouraged young people to take advantage of these platforms to engage directly with leaders, shape policy discussions, and contribute to national development.