- Members of the National Assembly have backed a motion tabled by Kilifi County MP Gertrude Mbeyu seeking to channel NYS graduates into security roles
- The lawmakers observed that approximately 18,000 youths graduate from the NYS annually but most remain unemployed after completing their training
- Several MPs questioned the absence of a legal and policy framework governing the exit and absorption of NYS graduates into the workforce
Nairobi - The National Assembly has expressed broad support for a motion calling on the government to create structured employment pathways for National Youth Service (NYS) graduates in public institutions and private security firms.
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The motion was tabled by Kilifi County Member of Parliament Gertrude Mbeyu, who proposed a policy framework that would see NYS graduates deployed as supplementary security officers across government ministries, departments and agencies.
Why MPs Are Backing the Motion
Mbeyu's proposal highlights a growing concern; roughly 18,000 young Kenyans complete NYS training every year, yet government institutions continue to contract private security firms to fill gaps left by uniformed officers.
Speaking in the House Wednesday, October 14, the MP argued that NYS graduates already possess relevant skills in discipline, security awareness, public service ethics and emergency response, making them well suited to bridge that gap while reducing youth unemployment.
The motion calls on the national government to develop employment guidelines in line with Article 55 of the constitution, which obligates the state to address youth unemployment.
It further proposes clear frameworks covering recruitment, deployment, remuneration, training and career progression for graduates placed in security roles.
Kitutu Chache MP Japheth Nyakundi backed the motion, pointing to what he described as a contradiction between public investment in youth training and the lack of follow-through on job creation.
"We have invested a lot of money as a country to train these youth, only for them to remain jobless after graduating from the NYS," Nyakundi said, urging the government to actively explore absorption into the private security sector.
Calls for a Minimum Training Threshold
Ol Kalou MP Sammy Douglas Waweru raised a related concern, calling for policies that would require private security firms to recruit only personnel who meet a prescribed training standard.
"Considering the extensive training that the NYS provides, we must develop clear policies requiring security guards, who play a critical role in society, to be properly trained," Waweru said.
Mbeere North MP Leonard Wa Muthende echoed that view, drawing a sharp contrast between the rigorous preparation NYS graduates undergo and the limited orientation some private security guards receive.
"It is not proper to have security personnel who receive only two to four days of training guarding us when NYS graduates have undergone rigorous courses and are ready to serve as security officers," Wa Muthende said.
MPs Question Absence of Exit Plan
Embu woman representative Pamela Njoki focused on the structural gap in how graduates transition out of the NYS, questioning why no formal exit strategy exists.
"The Government should have a legal framework and policy that looks at the exit programme for trainees. What is the exit plan for the NYS trainees after they have been trained?" she posed.
The motion now awaits further deliberation in the House before any formal government commitment can be made on implementation.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
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