OnesmusMuinde

  University. Wow. That was something. Having gone through the Kenyan 8-4-4 education system, the final 4 years of that system is where life truly begins for most young ones and off course I have gone through it all. I mean, coming from an environment with strict rules and all sorts of punishments then all of a sudden starting campus life is usually something else. First of all, unless it is a seriously ‘strict’ private university like Daystar or Strathmore, campus life is basically living by your own rules or probably better phrased, living by no rules. Of course the behaviour code and list of regulations do exist but in reality that is mostly theoretical. The freshman year is all about experimenting. One gets exposed to everything one’s parents do not want you to. Oh yes, you most probably will attend your first wild alcohol-fuelled party. You most probably will bump into marijuana somewhere. If you are female, it is probably inevitable that you will be part of the annual ‘Ponyok...

 Countries like Kenya, which have a relatively youthful population, stand on the runway of economic take-off if they find the correct formula to harness the energy, creativity and entrepreneurship that young people have to offer. The youth are an economic force that can both drive and create demand for goods and services especially due to the growing digital economy. However, even with this major advantage, these countries also face the attendant risk of ensuring that their youths do not fall prey to political machinations that can turn them into dynamite especially in the run-up to general elections. How then can Kenya position itself to benefit from its youthful demographic while avoiding the potential political pitfall? One of the answers is to be found in the government’s Big Four Agenda. When the government invests directly or facilitates investment in attaining food security, building affordable homes, accelerating manufacturing and ensuring affordable healthcare, young peopl...