Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has challenged young people in Africa to take up leadership positions and actively play their role in the continent’s development agenda.
Speaking at the opening of the YouthConnekt Africa Summit which began Thursday in Rwanda’s capital of Kigali, DP Gachagua said youth should be the drivers of Africa’s march into the future.
Gachagua said young people are at the frontline of socioeconomic challenges facing nations such as unemployment, access to capital, and climate change. He encouraged the youth not to sit as bystanders but look for opportunities where to offer leadership.
“You are the future of this continent. You have what it takes to take this continent to the next level. This is a creative age. It is a tech age and innovation age. You have the ideas,” the DP said.
Adding: “The youth make up 60 percent of Africa and you have no excuse not to occupy the leadership positions you want.”
Gachagua said Kenya has already made strides in giving space to the youth in leadership. He mentioned that more than 33 percent of Members of Parliament in Kenya are young people.
The DP introduced 12 young MPs including 24-year-old Bomet Women Representative Linet Chepkorir ‘Toto’.
Gachagua urged African leaders to encourage the youth to take up their rightful positions in leadership.
He commended President Paul Kagame for being a mentor to the youth of Africa and thanked him for hosting the Youthconnekt Africa Summit for ten consecutive years.
The DP said Kenya wants to support Rwanda by hosting the 2023 edition of the summit.
The MPs accompanying the DP include ohn Paul Mwirigi, Vincent Kawaya, Joseph Lolmegit, Ken Aramat, Karungo Thangwa, Pamela Njoki, Mohamed Ali, Reuben Kiborek, Patrick Munene.
The delegation also includes Silvanus Osoro (Chief Whip) and Ndindi Nyoro.
The theme of the summit is “Accelerating Investments in Youth: Resilient Youth, Resilient Africa.”
The summit aims to harness economic opportunities for the youth and to empower them to contribute to Africa’s socio-economic growth and sustainable development.
Accompanying me at the forum to support the agenda, were some of our 12 Kenyan youthful Mps pic.twitter.com/XjngkEYxIP
— Rigathi Gachagua (@rigathi) October 13, 2022
