Empowerment, transformation and value addition are three key areas a leader focuses on in leading a nation, a society or a community. It is about ensuring that a people, a community and even an individual takes charge of his or her life through creation of opportunities, provision of resources and awareness on how they can be able to sustain themselves, their families and community at large. These are some of the aspects that President Uhuru Kenyatta has focused on in building a people that are empowered through a series of initiatives that have provided the necessary opportunities and resources which have turned out to be impactful even for the coming generations.
The President has listened intently to the challenges of Kenyans, he has provided growth paths and praised effort for those who have seized opportunities through innovation. He has asked the tough but right questions which has ultimately understood the issues of Kenyans to the core and at heart. And most of all he has earned the trust of Kenyans as the various projects and initiatives he has launched have turned out to be highly beneficial.
Right from the start, the Nyumba Kumi Initiative started out as a way of enhancing security among the locals in order to weed out criminals among communities, and especially terrorists. It was a matter of being accountable for your neighbor that further enhanced accountability of the people that surround us. It was and still is a noble initiative that has gone a long away to enhance civic responsibility and unity among communities and the larger part of the society. Additionally, Kenyans had been given the power to be accountable for themselves and report any suspicious behaviours and occurrences among those that live close-by. This initiative brought back the aspect of community leadership through elders and deterred individualism that is a character of the Western world.
Currently, the Nyumba Kumi Initiative has played a critical role in identifying the vulnerable during this time of the pandemic. This has had a ripple effect on two other key initiatives including the National Hygiene Programme known as the ‘Kazi Mtaani Inititiave’ – a youth empowerment programme that has enhanced hygiene standards in various parts of the country as well as the Cash Transfer Programme for vulnerable groups and the elderly.
Starting with the elderly, the President understood that they be assisted as many are incapable of making a living as they are not as energetic as they were before and may be ravaged by health complications due to aging. Thus the President started the initiative to ensure that the elderly and vulnerable receive a monthly stipend to ensure they are able to sustain their livelihoods and also protecting themselves during this time of the pandemic. With many of their dependencies income cut short, it has been critical that these group are supported. In equal light, in order to empower the youth and enabling them to be resource empowered without falling into the wrong side of the law, the Kazi Mtaani Initiative has come in quite handy.
The programme as aforementioned centres on the youth and is for the youth. Many have lauded the programme that has come in as a relief.The youth have been engaged in community works especially in informal settlements that have seen a great improvement on the level of hygiene in a variety of these settlements. Some of the settlements that have benefited from the Initiative include Kawangware and Mukuru Kwa Njenga where it has marked a major facelift. Additionally in Nairobi, the Nairobi Metropolitan Services has embraced the Initiative in its projects that have further seen the communities in these informal settlements have accessibility to free clean water. A record 93 boreholes have been sunk in these informal settlements and is aimed at ending the plight of the water crisis in the areas. The programme has also started to uplift street families by employing them in some of the projects such as in the construction of Grogan road.
Kenyans have also seen that the President has encouraged and appreciated different innovations of Kenyans from all walks of life. The President has ensured that Kenya equips itself during this time of te pandemic by ensuring that we procure our own products and innovations thereby providing youth employment and empowerment which has not left out children, a 9 year old boy was able to design a non-touch hand washing device, students have innovated a prototype ventilator that is on the last stages of approval and validity. Another student has also innovated less painful testing swabs for Covid-19 which will soon be approved for government to start procurement. Already the Presidential Delivery Unit has procured 500 Jua Kali beds that is also a student innovation and will go along way in assisting public hospitals increase their bed capacity.
These among others is the lifeline the country needs President. Uhuru Kenyatta has demonstrated his full commitment in ensuring that he uplifts communities that comprise of the youth, elderly, women and children in living a better and much deserved life.
