NYS officers should be deployed to Haiti - CS Moses Kuria

Public Service, Performance and Delivery Management Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria now says the government could consider sending National Youth Service (NYS) officers to the war-torn Caribbean nation of Haiti as part of Kenya’s UN-backed security mission.

Speaking on Thursday during the launch of the NYS Interventions for Agriculture and Food Security in Kitale, CS Kuria noted that this – if it comes to pass - would be part of the ruling administration’s plan to end unemployment among the youth.

The tough-talking controversial Cabinet Secretary went on to justify the move saying he is under heavy presidential orders not to rest until every youth gets a legitimate job to steer them away from crime.

“I’m here to get jobs for the youths, and anywhere I hear there's an opportunity, as long as it's not drugs, I'm taking the youth...even if that's in Haiti, we must have NYS...our youth must get jobs,” he stated.

Kuria also called for a multi-sectoral approach that would see the NYS officers participate in the food valuation chain and earn some money while at it.

“We will have a Memorandum of Understanding between Kenya Seed Company and the Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) to employ the NYS as seedling propagators,” said the CS adding; “They will not be working for free! They have to be paid.”

Kuria, who has previously declared himself the chief ambassador of the NYS, wants the group to be taught agricultural extension roles to sell propagated seedlings at an affordable price.

His sentiments about deploying NYS officers to as far as Haiti comes at a time when there exists a stalemate in Kenya as to whether to even deploy Kenyan police to the Caribbean nation.

Several leaders have expressed concerns about the Haiti mission, with many terming it a mistake and citing Kenya’s ill-preparedness in fighting gangs and banditry within its borders.

“We have security issues every other day. People are killed by the roadside during Pokot, Turkana, and Samburu banditries. We haven’t been able to fix that problem ourselves, so I wonder what makes us think we can go into Haiti? These are not just any ordinary thugs,” Ekuru Aukot, Thirdway Alliance party leader, previously said.

The High Court in Nairobi has barred the Kenyan government from deploying police to Haiti, while the National Security Council has since petitioned Parliament to approve the move.