Cabinet Secretary for Public Service Moses Kuria stated on Thursday that he was willing to deploy the National Youth Service (NYS) to Haiti.
Speaking during the launch of NYS Interventions for Agriculture and Food Security in Kitale, Trans Nzoia County, Kuria argued that youths in Kenya were grabbing with unemployment, and his ministry was open to considering opportunities across the border.
According to Kuria, the former Gatundu South MP, he had received a directive from President William Ruto to ensure that youths are given priority in job allocations both in and out of the country.
“Anywhere there are jobs, even if it is in Haiti, I will ensure we take the NYS there," the CS stated.
According to Kuria, by 2027, the government will have employed about 40,000 NYS officers in a bid to absorb them into Public Service.
President William Ruto, in March this year, ordered NYS to recruit 20,000 Kenyans, up from 10,000 recruits, starting in 2024.
"I will look for job opportunities for our youths, anywhere there are jobs. I will take them there as long as the jobs don't involve the use of drugs."
According to the CS, the NYS officers will be enrolled in a payable seed multiplication program where they will plant seeds on distributed lands in order to boost food security and multiply seeds.
“Those who will be used to propagate the seeds are the NYS officers and it will not be for free, they will be paid.”
Kuria also reiterated that all government employees will go through NYS training before being posted. This was one of the changes he spoke of introducing after he was transferred from the Ministry of Trade to the Public Service.
He also suggested using NYS officers to cultivate idle government land in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture.
In his argument, the youth would shore up the food supply, meet the market demand and aid in reducing the cost of living.
Kuria further announced that he would set up a call centre where Kenyans can report government officials lagging in service delivery.
