Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes Geoffrey Ruku has urged young people in the Mt Kenya region to shun opposition politics and instead focus on development, entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.
Speaking during a meeting with youth leaders from Mt Kenya East in Meru County, Ruku said the region’s progress would be realised through constructive engagement with the government rather than political confrontation.
He warned the youth against allowing themselves to be used by politicians to advance what he termed as divisive political agendas, saying some leaders were exploiting unemployment and frustration among young people for political gain instead of offering practical solutions to their challenges.
The Cabinet Secretary said the youth should reject ethnic divisions and embrace national unity, arguing that cohesion remains critical to achieving sustainable development.
Ruku also called on young people to abandon what he described as “stone-age politics”, saying violence, destruction of property and political intolerance have no place in a democratic society.
“Development is negotiated through dialogue and engagement, not through confrontation and chaos,” he said.
He challenged the youth to use their platforms, including social media and community forums, to promote factual information and counter what he described as propaganda by the opposition led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
He said young people have a responsibility to shape public discourse by sharing truthful information that promotes unity, peace and development.
Ruku further expressed concern that unemployed youth were increasingly being mobilised for political activities that offered no economic benefit, urging them instead to invest their energy in education, innovation, entrepreneurship and skills development.
On the proposed State Lodge in Meru, the Cabinet Secretary defended the government’s decision to undertake the project, saying it would enhance the county’s profile, attract national events and stimulate local economic growth.
He dismissed criticism of the project as politically motivated, maintaining that government investments are intended to spur development and improve livelihoods across the region.
The CS also encouraged young people to take advantage of opportunities under the government’s labour mobility programme, saying more employment opportunities were being secured in foreign labour markets.
He urged the youth to acquire marketable skills to increase their competitiveness, noting that overseas employment has the potential to improve household incomes while boosting the country’s foreign exchange earnings through remittances.
Youth leaders who attended the meeting pledged to champion peaceful politics and urged their peers to reject violence, incitement and ethnic hatred.
They said they would conduct civic awareness campaigns across the Mt Kenya region to encourage young people to support development initiatives and uphold peaceful political engagement.
The leaders further said the region’s economic transformation would be achieved through collaboration with the government, arguing that politics should not overshadow the development priorities of the people.
The meeting also adopted a resolution to rally support for Deputy President Kithure Kindiki’s development agenda in the Mt Kenya region.
Participants agreed to roll out a series of grassroots engagements aimed at reaching young people across the region to encourage them to embrace peaceful politics, support government development programmes and resist what they described as political propaganda propagated by the opposition led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
They said the forums would provide an opportunity to engage the youth on issues affecting them while promoting national unity and development.
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