Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan said the programme was designed to equip young people with practical and marketable skills in the job market

Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan hands over a certificate to a beneficiary of a technical and vocational skills training programme in the constituency/HANDOUT

More than 1,500 young people in Kamukunji constituency have benefited from a technical and vocational skills training programme aimed at improving their employability, promoting self-employment and addressing unemployment.

The beneficiaries were recognised during a graduation ceremony in Kamukunji, where 1,000 youths and young mothers received B2 driving certificates, marking a significant step towards economic empowerment.

He said his focus was not only to facilitate training but also to ensure graduates translate the skills acquired into meaningful economic opportunities.

Hassan pledged to organise a job fair to connect the graduates with employment opportunities both locally and internationally.

“I am not giving you bursaries because I want you to re-elect me. It is my responsibility as an MP to uplift your lives. I am fulfilling my obligations as your MP,” he said.

The MP challenged beneficiaries to assess his performance based on the impact of his development initiatives, saying the decision on whether to give him another term would ultimately rest with the electorate.

“If you are satisfied, then you will decide whether you want to give me another term,” he said.

Hassan also called for business empowerment support to enable the graduates to establish their own enterprises, become financially independent and create employment opportunities for others.

He said the programme would be expanded, with a second cohort of 400 youths expected to begin training next week, bringing the target to 2,000 beneficiaries within the year.

Assistant Chief Hussein Gambu underscored the importance of equipping young people with practical skills, noting that vocational training could help them become productive members of society.

Beneficiaries welcomed the initiative, saying the training had given them an opportunity to improve their livelihoods and secure a better future.

Joyce Kathe, one of the beneficiaries, thanked the MP for investing in their skills development, saying the training had equipped her with knowledge she could rely on in the future.

“You have given me something that will help me in future. You have shown me how to fish. I want to express my appreciation because when you empower us, you empower the whole community,” she said.

The programme is part of broader efforts to tackle unemployment by equipping young people with practical skills and creating pathways to economic independence.