Mudavadi highlights TVETs’ role in youth empowerment at Mkulima Majuu send-off

_{By PSC Press Service}

Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Musalia Mudavadi, has emphasised the importance of youth empowerment during the Mkulima Majuu Programme send-off ceremony, where Kenyan professionals prepared to depart for the United Kingdom.

The event held on August 9, highlighted the government’s commitment to equipping young Kenyans with the skills needed for success on the global stage.

Mudavadi praised the pivotal role of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in shaping Kenya’s future workforce.

He stressed that TVETs are not just training centres but essential elements in the nation’s development, particularly in preparing young people for both local and international job markets.

“There is a very strong drive from the TVETs. Not long ago, the President marked 100 years of the TVET programme in Kenya at Kabete. This segment is becoming critical in preparing skilled workers across the country, ready to take up assignments both here and in other parts of the world,” said Mudavadi.

The PCS encouraged the young professionals to be patient and diligent in their careers, using the metaphor of Rome’s construction to highlight the gradual nature of success.

“It takes brick after brick after brick to build the kind of team we have here and many others who are being prepared for other areas. We must continue to skill our young men and women. It requires all of us working together holistically and being able to move forward,” he noted.

Mudavadi also acknowledged the government’s efforts in ensuring efficient processes for travel, such as the prompt issuance of passports.

He recognised the work of the immigration department and encouraged citizens to be proactive in collecting their documents.

“Sometimes, there is talk that no work is being done by the government, but on the other hand, work is done, but people don’t reach out to go and pick their documents or services they require. As of now, there are 110,000 passports lying uncollected,” he pointed out.

A key aspect of the Mkulima Majuu Programme is the leadership of the State Department of Diaspora Affairs, which has been instrumental in driving the initiative.

Highlighting the State Department of Diaspora Affairs’ ongoing efforts, Mudavadi announced upcoming bilateral labor agreements aimed at creating more opportunities for skilled Kenyans. He revealed that Kenya is on the verge of signing a historic agreement with Germany to secure employment for Kenyan workers in various sectors.

“Next month, the government is going to sign with the government of Germany a bilateral labor agreement because Germany is looking in the medium to short term to close 250,000 skilled workers in different sectors. We must prepare as Kenya so as to take advantage of that,” he said.

This agreement, he noted, would be the first of its kind between Germany and any African country, positioning Kenya as a leader in accessing international labor markets.

“Kenya is going to take the lead in this, and here we want to commend the State Department of Diaspora Affairs, under the leadership of PS Roseline Kabura Njogu, for pushing this agenda very aggressively. Things are happening to create opportunities for Kenyans,” Mudavadi added.

Mudavadi reminded the youth that while international opportunities are valuable, the bulk of job creation must occur within Kenya.

He stressed the importance of peace and stability in fostering a conducive environment for job creation. “We must remember that the bulk of the jobs will still have to be created here in Kenya. That is why when we talk about the need to have a stable nation, a peaceful nation, we should not take it for granted. Because that is the environment that generates jobs. A state of conflict will not generate jobs,” he cautioned.

PCS also urged the young professionals to act as Kenya’s ambassadors while abroad, upholding the nation’s reputation and ensuring that their conduct reflects positively on the country.

“As we send you out there, please become our ambassadors. Help us spread the gospel of peace as our anchor so as to reach out to your brothers and sisters elsewhere. Do not go to another country and assume that what you do here, you can do there and get away with it, such as drug trafficking that in the process ruins the reputation of someone else. Do not put Kenya in that situation,” he said.

He concluded by encouraging the young professionals to bring back the knowledge and skills they acquire abroad to help drive Kenya’s development, particularly in the agricultural sector.

“We look forward to you not only impacting those skills there but also bringing them back home so that we can impact our agriculture, because it is agriculture that will generate the largest number of jobs for Kenyans through the value chain,” he emphasized.

The Mkulima Majuu Programme is a testament to Kenya’s commitment to youth empowerment, international labor opportunities, and a strategic approach to national development.

The critical role of TVETs remains central to ensuring that Kenya’s youth are well-prepared to contribute meaningfully to both the local and global economy.