Nairobi MCAs kicks off implementation of bill to foster artistes

Nairobi MCAs have commenced working on a bill that seeks to boost youth initiatives in the county.

Led by newly elected Education, Children, Youth and Vocation Training Committee chair Sylvia Museiya, the MCAs said the youth are key to the county’s economy and supporting them will only benefit Nairobi.

Museiya said plans are underway to support youth in the creative industry, including music, theatre, films, arts painting and drawing.

“We have a bill that is coming up soon in the assembly and I’m sure that based on the need, because majority of Nairobi residents are youth and there is a very high level of unemployment, we can turn around the creative arts and talents sector to bring youth to be busy and earn from it,” said the Nominated MCA.

The MCA said they are keen to support Governor Mike Sonko’s agenda, especially in education, one of the sectors that were not transferred to the Nairobi Metropolitan Services.

“This, by extension, will be supporting the agenda of the President,” she noted.

Museiya said youth are future leaders of the county and they should be nurtured now.

She spoke after meeting several youth at a City hotel on Saturday.

“If we don’t support the youth now, we will only be creating problems for ourselves in future,” said the nominated MCA.

She noted that through Governor Mike Sonko’s support, they are in the process of coming up with a state-of-the-art talent centre in Nairobi.

The governor has previously supported artists like Kelma Shiko, Red Hot, whose hit song ‘Show me love’ is doing well in the airwaves, the Wagi Family from Kware, among others.

Wagi Family is one of the youth groups cleaning the expansive Nairobi river.

They have composed several hit songs with the aim of educating the society, especially about illegal abortions, which have led to at least 15 infant bodies retrieved from the Nairobi River in the last six months.

The group has so far retrieved 29 bodies (29 include 24 infants and 5 adults) from the river since the launch of Nairobi River Restoration project by Governor Sonko in July 2018.

Apart from music, the Governor made his personal contribution towards assisting young talents including Mathare 4A Football Academy, donating car washing machines to several youth groups, and opening salons and barber shops for other groups.

In the meantime, the Governor is expected to soon officially launch the Waithaka Vocational Training Centre.

Touring the project on Friday, county executive committee member for Education, Youth, Sports and Gender Lucia Mulwa said the centre will offer many opportunities to Nairobians including venturing into dress making, beverages and food, painting, plumbing,  among others.

“The facility is ready for use and the governor is expected to officially launch it soon. We were with some Safaricom officials, who are our partners, who are excited about the project. This initiative will benefit many Nairobians and other neighbouring counties,” she said.