My take on the PM and Kazi Kwa Vijana issue

The Kazi Kwa Vijana World Bank project meant to reduce the number of jobless youth by offering them work on infrastructure has been a subject a lot of controversy especially by some of our MPs. When the issue of Kazi Kwa Vijana comes up in the news, it is normally to attack or ridicule the Prime Minister Hon. Raila Odinga because it is under his office and it is so obvious the attacks and ridicule always comes from his political opponents/enemies.

Therefore recently when the issue came up again raised in parliament by Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa, supported by others, I was not surprised at all and read politics in it. However when the issue was brought up by Sunday Nation (October 13 23) and reading the story of about “millions of shillings for young Kenyans had instead been paid to a senior official in the PM’s office” Imagine one official being paid US$5,000 monthly allowance for 13 months for her work on the project” I said at least I can rely on the media than our politicians who get too personal most of the time. I was so mad and felt like joining the call for our PM to resign because that amount can employ many jobless youths.

However I decided not to jump into conclusions and write terrible things about the PMs Office on this blog but instead I decided to wait and hear from the horse’s mouth, this afternoon the PM honored Parliament request and appeared personally to answer questions on the issue. From his well tabled documents it emerged that the media should also not be relied upon sometimes, apparently the issue on Sunday Nation was an incomplete information leaked by a World Bank official, he/she may have been paid for this but the official will end up loosing his/her job. So far the World Bank have not said it is the PMs Office to blame for the irregularities and the PM himself had also requested for an audit of the funds. Most of the issued raised have been cleared.

I agree with MP Eugene Wamalwa’s concerns and even those who supported the PM agreed that it is an important issue because it is of great concern when our brothers, sisters, friends who are youth are jobless and funds meant for them are misused or channeled to unnecessary sources. From the issues raised in parliament today I realized it is about MPs wanting to manage the money through Constituency Development Funds (CDF), it is also about settling political scores when Ikolomani MP Bonny Khalwale said the PM should take political responsibility like he did to Hon William Ruto and Hon Sam Ongeri, Chepalungu MP Isaac Ruto also asking PM to take political responsibility without giving proper reason it was clearly a war waged by PNU and affiliate parties, ODM rebels against ODM leader and his supporters that is how I clearly saw it. It is true that Kazi Kwa Vijana project should change lives of the youth and a proper way of managing the funds should be put in place.

By the way

The PM is also a principal just like the President they are partners in this coalition Government but looking at it he takes most of the blame for the wrongs in this Country more than the President who is more relaxed. I do not say he is perfect, no human is perfect. However I believe he deserves some respect.