Makueni Youth Issue Constitutional Petition Demanding Accountability, Jobs and Economic Reforms

MAKUENI, Kenya, July 29 – Youth representatives from across Makueni County have presented a comprehensive constitutional petition demanding an end to empty political promises and calling for direct, measurable economic opportunities.

While addressing the media in Nairobi, the youth group Cited Articles 10, 27, 43, 55, 174 and 232 of the Constitution of Kenya which guarantee youth participation, equality and responsive governance the group declared that youth inclusion is a constitutional right rather than a political favor.

They acknowledged existing county programs such as Ujuzi Teketeke, youth internships, sports initiatives, and local enterprise funds the youth leaders emphasized that goodwill alone cannot resolve unemployment.​

“Development cannot be measured by the number of launches, photographs, and speeches,” they said.

“It must be measured by the number of lives permanently transformed.What measurable impact have these programs created? How many businesses are still operating?”

​Industrializing Local Agriculture, A central pillar of the manifesto focuses on stopping the export of raw agricultural produce out of Makueni.

Despite the county’s rich yields in mangoes, milk, honey, green grams, poultry, and livestock, thousands of local youth remain unemployed while processing jobs are created elsewhere.​

To address this gap, the group demanded key economic interventions; Makueni Economic and Value Addition Zone: Establishing dedicated processing industries within the county to refine local raw materials before export.

​Youth Cooperatives: Expanding youth access to international development funds such as the World Bank-backed National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP) by replicating the model used by successful local dairy co-ops.​

Youth Investment & Grant Support Desk: Technical support units to help youth enterprises draft bankable proposals and access public and private capital.

Addressing systemic barriers to productivity, the youth called for modernizing basic infrastructure roads, water, electricity, and high-speed internet to act as dynamic economic engines rather than growth bottlenecks.

They urged county leadership to equip every ward with functional public libraries, ICT centers, innovation hubs, and vocational centers.​

“We call upon the County Government to ensure transparency, inclusivity, and meaningful youth participation in decision-making”.

Further, Turning their attention to political leadership, the group challenged elected officials across Kibwezi East, Kibwezi West, Kaiti, Makueni, Kilome, and Mbooni to answer two core questions: ​What problems have disappeared because you hold public office?

What measurable outcomes can you demonstrate for the youth of Makueni?

​To lower barriers to political entry, the group also called on national and regional political parties to enforce affordable, transparent, and fair nomination procedures, allowing young leaders to run on merit rather than financial dominance.​

While Concluding the address, the movement delivered a clear message to young citizens across the county’s six constituencies: reject political violence, tribalism, financial hand-outs, and manipulation.​

Instead, the leadership urged youth to register with political parties, participate actively in public forums, acquire technical skills, and continuously hold leaders accountable using facts and constitutional mechanisms.

“The youth of Makueni are united in advocating for a future where every young person has a fair chance to grow, lead, and contribute to the county’s development”.

“We shall engage. We shall participate. We shall question. We shall propose solutions. We shall demand accountability. And we shall never apologize for demanding the future promised to us by the Constitution of Kenya, Our voice is our strength, and our unity is our future”.