Kericho: The Kericho County Youth Development Bill, 2024, and the Kericho County Community Health Services Bill, 2024, have been formally assented into law, marking a significant step in expanding structured youth support and improving the delivery of community-based healthcare across the county.
According to Kenya News Agency, Kericho Governor Dr. Eric Mutai presided over the assenting ceremony, which was attended by several County Executive Committee Members, the County Attorney Mr. Gedion Mutai, and a few area leaders. The two laws are intended to address long-standing gaps in youth employment, strengthen coordination of frontline services, and expand access to essential public programs for residents across the county.
Dr. Mutai explained that the Youth Development Bill establishes the Kericho County Youth Development Board, a statutory body responsible for coordinating youth programs, guiding resource allocation to priority initiatives, and ensuring the representation of young people in county planning and decision-making processes. The law also provides legal backing for the 30 percent procurement reservation for youth, obligating county departments to track compliance, announce procurement opportunities, and report quarterly on youth contractors awarded county tenders.
Furthermore, the law mandates the development of annual youth action plans detailing available training opportunities, internship placements, enterprise support, and skill-development activities aligned with market demands in agriculture, ICT, construction, and hospitality.
Simultaneously, the Governor highlighted that the Community Health Services Bill establishes a formal Community Health Committee to coordinate and oversee community health services. The Bill mandates the creation of a community health profile to assess local health needs and provides for appointing Community Health Assistants (CHAs) by the County Public Service Board to support frontline household-level health activities.
Dr. Mutai mentioned that the law enables CHAs to assist in collecting and maintaining community health data, identify local health needs, and work under the supervision of the Community Health Committee to ensure effective delivery of community health services.
‘By assenting to these laws, we are enhancing youth opportunities and strengthening community health services for every household in Kericho,’ explained Mutai. The county has allocated funds in the 2024/2025 financial year to support the operationalization of the Youth Development Board, the Community Health Committees, recruitment and training of CHAs and Volunteers, and necessary data and reporting systems for effective implementation.
Nominated MCA Mr. Issack Matker, also known as Isma, who witnessed the ceremony, stated that the Youth Development Bill will enable the county to systematically track youth programs, support identifying skills gaps among young people, and promote equitable access to enterprise and mentorship initiatives across all sub-counties, ensuring effective planning and monitoring of youth development.
‘This law reflects the aspirations of young people across Kericho and ensures fairness, transparency, and equal opportunity in all youth-related programs,’ Isma said.
