On Monday, August 23, 2021, Information Communication and Technology Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru spoke at the launch of the NCCK Youth Fragility Report, NCCK Youth Policy Survey Report, and NCCK 5-Year Youth Programme.
What stood out from Mucheru's remarks however, are his not so kind words to politicians who have been making false promises to young people, in what he referred to as farfetched economic fantasies.
“As much as the government is funding various programmes to support the youth, there are challenges that only you can and must face head on. We have heard some people promising you analogue solutions as part of a new economic blueprint to bring you prosperity; I am a student of economics and I do not see how the successful economic uplifting of our people can be carried on with outdated solutions.
"We can and must do better than this. I must add that some of these far-fetched economic fantasies are anchored on falsehoods sprinkled liberally with proclamations of sanctity by leaders who should know better,” he said.
CS Mucheru questions where the church has been when all the falsehoods were being spread, sometimes from the pulpits.
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He went on to say that some churches have not lived up to the expectation of encouraging truth in the society.
The CS blamed the church for being blinded by donations from the politicians selling lies to the youths because they think they are easy to manipulate.
“The main problem as I see it, is that these churches have been silenced by massive donations from politicians, who have then been gifted with the pulpit to preach the gospel of division and nudge citizens towards a class war. These Bible waving politicians have especially targeted the youth because they think – wrongly – that youth are gullible and easy to manipulate,” said Mucheru.
“Do not be led down the garden path. Do not be lied to. You must expose these peddlers for who they are: snake oil salesmen who will go to any extent to gain political power. You must see beyond the smokescreen and unmask these people who are out to take advantage of you,” he added.
[ICT CS Joe Mucheru (Courtesy)]
The CS said the false promises from politicians always end up in tears and frustrations.
“The suffering that many of our youth are going through, has unfortunately made some of them easy prey for all manner of political charlatans who are promising to take them to heaven if they elect them,” he said.
He mentioned that the government planned to shift more resources to the grassroots through the Building Bridges Initiative but judicial activism stopped it.
“Yet, we saw some leaders fervently thanking God the Father for the adverse court ruling. It is a classic case of not seeing the forest for the trees. They missed the bigger picture because the whole issue was politicized and anchored as a power hunt rather than a noble development initiative that would devolve more funds to the people,” said CS Mucheru.
He also highlighted on some of the plans the government has implemented and continues to rollout to better the lives of youths, in collaboration with players from other sectors.
