President William Ruto Monday directed that National Youth Service (NYS) recruits be taken through mandatory basic firearms training to be able to defend the country when need arises.
He directed that NYS recruits be taken through a basic course in firearms to prepare them to protect the country when the need arises.
Presiding over the 88th National Youth Service Recruits Pass-Out Parade in Gilgil, Ruto said his government has upheld its commitment to recruit significant numbers of servicemen and women into the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and also ensured other job placements for NYS graduates.
“The NYS remains indispensable to our efforts to enhance public service delivery and national security,” Ruto said.
He added out of the 790 officers recruited to the Kenya Wildlife Service, 447 were ex-NYS recruits.
“This is a 56 percent overall living to my directive that all security agencies must give priority to our NYS men and women because of their demonstrated discipline, capability and paramilitary training,” Ruto said.
He directed relevant ministries, especially those of Interior and Defence, to make sure that the paramilitary training NYS recruits undergo includes a basic course in firearms ‘to make sure that they stand ready to protect the country when the need arises’.
The government will increase the number of the National Youth Service recruits to 20,000 in the next intake to enhance the programme’s reach and inclusivity.
He further directed security agencies to give NYS graduates priority when recruiting, saying “they have demonstrated discipline, capability and enviable paramilitary training”.
During the passing-out ceremony, 14,602 recruits graduated.
They will now serve one year of public service. Afterwards, they will join technical training colleges at Government expense.
Ruto approved the recruitment of 200 additional cadet officers and 500 private officers to support NYS operations.
He directed the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development to build hostels to host 3,000 recruits as well as more staff houses.
Moreover, the government will bolster the NYS business model to promote its operational sustainability.
“It has been encouraging to see the strategic partnerships and economic diversification initiatives that the National Youth Service has been able to forge,” President Ruto said.
He pointed out the collaboration between NYS and the University of Nairobi Enterprises and Services Ltd has spurred growth in several areas.
“Similarly, agricultural projects, such as the expansion at Athi River, have not only increased our agricultural productivity, but also positioned NYS as a key player in the edible oil market,” he said.
He commended NYS for its contribution to environmental conservation through the Greening Kenya Initiative, which has added significant momentum towards its goal of planting one billion trees by 2032.
He announced that NYS graduates will be supervising a cohort of young people to be recruited under the Climate Workers Mtaani Initiative, whose aim is to green urban centres and fight climate change.
He instructed Cabinet Secretaries Justin Muturi (Public Service and Performance Delivery Management), Soipan Tuya (Defence), Adan Duale (Environment, Climate Change and Forestry) and Alice Wahome (Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development) to provide leadership in the project.
Ruto also emphasised the government’s commitment to finding jobs for NYS graduates locally and abroad.
Additionally, he said initiatives have been made to improve the terms of service within the organisation and embrace digital transformation so as to enhance transparency and efficiency in NYS operations.
He said the legacy of corruption, wastage and inefficiency that has long haunted NYS must be banished for good.
“As the nation’s foremost steward of public resources, I am determined to transform NYS into a symbol of exemplary integrity, efficiency and commitment to national transformation,” he said.
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