The government is in the process of engaging an additional 30,000 city youth, bringing the total to 50,000, in efforts to restore the Nairobi River Basin.
At the same time, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has announced plans to increase the administrative units from the current 11 to 17, aligning them with the number of constituencies in Nairobi County.
Speaking during his visit to Mukuru Kwa Reuben in Embakasi East Constituency to inspect the ongoing cleaning and beautification of the riparian corridor by local youth, Mr Murkomen underscored the importance of engaging residents and bringing services closer to them.
Phase 1 of the project, part of the ClimateWorx programme launched by President William Ruto in September last year, has engaged 20,000 youth to transform the Nairobi River Basin into an economic and recreational ecosystem.
Mr Murkomen said the government wants Nairobi City to emulate other global cities like London, Washington, and Paris, which maintain clean rivers that cut across urban areas.
The programme focuses on youth empowerment, environmental stewardship, and infrastructure development.
“At least two kilometres of the river have been successfully rehabilitated, pending the development of recreational facilities,” said Mr Murkomen.
The CS explained that Phase 1 of the programme employed 20,000 youth in Nairobi City. However, due to its rapid success, the government is expanding the program to benefit 50,000 youth.
In a bid to ensure jobless youth benefit from a similar initiative, Mr Murkomen announced that plans are underway to roll out the plan in other cities, including Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, and other major towns.
He also announced that those evicted from riparian land would be given priority in the ongoing affordable housing project.
“The government’s priority, when the affordable housing project is complete, is that those who were living on riparian land will be given top priority,” said Mr Murkomen.
He said this move would enable jobless youth to access opportunities in police, prisons, and Kenya Defence Forces recruitment.
“When there are recruitments for the police and the military, all Nairobi residents are sent to City Stadium. With so many constituencies, you do not get the chances you would have if you had an administrative unit here. There are 17 constituencies here, and every constituency should have a sub-county. I assure you these new sub-counties will be gazetted in the next three months,” added the CS.
Mr Murkomen criticised politicians for travelling across the country to whip up emotions in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
“We cannot finish an election and immediately start preparing for another election to remove those in office. The government must be allowed to deliver its manifesto,” said Mr Murkomen.
Internal Security Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo also affirmed that plans are underway to extend the programme to other parts of the country.
“We have learned a lot based on the outcome of this pilot project. This program has been running for three months,” said the PS.
He added, “When we extend the same to the remaining 46 counties..."
The top officials were accompanied by Makadara MP George Aladwa, Nairobi Regional Commissioner Katee Mwanza, and a host of MCAs.
