The Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA) has accelerated its youth empowerment initiatives in a bid to curb the growing threat of political goonism across the country.
Speaking in Siaya County during a local youth empowerment program, Erick Owino, an officer representing MSEA Director General Henry Rithaa, reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to supporting youth-led enterprises.
He noted that economic empowerment is vital to ensuring young people remain productively engaged rather than exploited for political violence.
Addressing participants and local leaders, Owino highlighted how youth unemployment and economic desperation create fertile ground for political manipulation.
“The growing culture of political goonism in the country happens because the youth lack meaningful work. Through donations of various trade equipment to our youth, they will be kept busy and will have no time to engage in goonism while seeking handouts from politicians,” Owino stated.
He disclosed that MSEA’s accelerated support for youth enterprises reflects the national government’s commitment to delivering on President William Ruto’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
“When we come here to donate concrete mixers, salon equipment, generators, motorbikes, and other trade equipment, it is not only to ensure they are constantly engaged, but also to enable residents in this constituency to enjoy the fruits of the promises made under the BETA framework,” Owino added.
Equipment distribution
Owino lauded Alego Usonga Member of Parliament Samuel Atandi for launching the economic empowerment drive in Siaya County, which specifically targets youth previously identified as vulnerable to political recruitment and goonism.
Owino pointed out that MSEA, which oversees sector support for enterprises making up nearly 95 percent of businesses in Kenya, is aligning these distributions to complement the ongoing NYOTA program to maximize youth employment opportunities.
MP Atandi announced that the targeted empowerment program will be scaled up across other parts of Siaya County over the coming weeks to reach even more out-of-work youth.
The initiative comes at a critical time as political tension and reported goonism surge across various regions ahead of the upcoming general elections.
President William Ruto has issued stern directives to national security agencies to crack down on political violence, criminal gangs, and those sponsoring youth to cause unrest during public functions.
