President Ruto explained the importance of the rebranded initiative, which will address climate change through proactive measures.
President William Ruto on Monday, August 26 hinted at the rebranding of Uhuru Kenyatta’s Kazi Mtaani program during the National Youth Service (NYS) pass-out ceremony in Gilgil, Nakuru County.
This initiative, dubbed the ‘Climate Works Mtaani’ will see NYS manage it as supervisors and focus on making Kenya green and promoting environmental sustainability.
Speaking during the pass-out parade, President Ruto explained the importance of the rebranded initiative, which will address climate change through proactive measures.
President William Ruto at the pass-out of National Youth Service officers in Gilgil, Nakuru County on August 26, 2024. /PCS
“I want to announce that the NYS will be supervising the cohort of young people that shortly we will be recruiting under our climate works mtaani initiative that will bring more young people into the space of greening Kenya, managing our environmental sustainability and making sure that we respond to matters of climate change using climate action initiatives that we have in place,” Ruto remarked.
Consequently, Ruto ordered Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi to work with his Environment, Housing and Defence colleagues to provide leadership under the initiative.
“I am instructing the minister responsible for NYS to work with the CSs responsible for Environment, Housing and Defence for them to provide leadership under this initiative as we focus on growing 15 billion trees as our response to matters climate change,” the president stated.
This collaboration is expected to ensure a holistic approach to the program and leverage the diverse expertise from the different sectors to maximise impact.
The rebranded program aims to expand its scope beyond the original Kazi Mtaani’s focus on infrastructure and community service and now includes environmental components, notably the ambitious goal of planting 15 billion trees as part of Kenya’s commitment to combating global warming and enhancing ecological balance.
Uhuru unveiled the program in 2020, which was meant to provide social protection for workers whose prospects for daily or casual work had been disrupted by the containment policies put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Through the initiative, residents were recruited to undertake projects concentrated in and around informal settlements to improve the environment, and service delivery and provide income generation opportunities.
The workers were divided into groups or cohorts and an individual earned Ksh450 per day for eleven days each, while their supervisors earned Ksh505 per day for 22 days in a month.
Youths working under the Kazi Mtaani program. /FILE