Leaders in East Africa are not doing enough to empower the youth

I have been following with keen interest the debates on East Africa’s potential growth.

However, I am quite infuriated by our leaders’ fixation on creating jobs for the youth because their ideas are myopic and unsustainable.

They must understand that today’s youth are proactive, interactive and creative — and with the right support they will create their own jobs.

For instance, as an educated youth in employment, I have the potential to save enough money to start a small enterprise in Kigali, Juba and possibly Kampala.

But the infrastructure and poor regional policies are restrictive and favour accomplished business people. How many youths in the region suffer my fate?

Our leaders must, therefore, invest in modern infrastructure connecting all major urban and rural centres across East Africa.

A modern railway running from Lamu - Southern Sudan - Uganda-DRC- Rwanda - Burundi and ultimately to Tanzania for instance, will accord the youth an opportunity to explore, intermarry, exchange ideas and discover new opportunities.

Within say a span of 10 years, the youths can triple the regional economy by setting up small and medium size enterprises.

The recent oversubscription of the initial public offerings issued by Safaricom and Kengen companies in Kenya tell it all.

The youth, whom our leaders are waiting to create jobs for, were the majority buyers.

Wake up, our leaders, we don’t want jobs from you.

All we require is that you make the environment favourable then you can go and rest as we create those jobs.

Paul Mwaura Wanderi,
Deputy director, International Centre for Conflict and Policy