By Mandere Onyinkwa
The government has reaffirmed its commitment to youth empowerment and cooperative development as key drivers of Kenya’s bottom-up economic transformation.
Speaking at the Teso North Youth Conference held at Chemasiri Technical and Vocational College, Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (MSMEs) Wycliffe Oparanya urged young people to deliberately build strong economic foundations through entrepreneurship, skills development and collective enterprise.
Oparanya assured the youth of Teso North of sustained government support aimed at growing MSMEs and revitalising the cooperative movement across Busia County.
He highlighted a range of empowerment initiatives under the Ministry, noting that the programmes are designed to unlock youth potential while expanding access to affordable capital, markets and capacity building.
“Our ministry continues to roll out targeted empowerment programmes including the Hustler Fund, Uwezo Fund, Kenya Industrial Estates, and enterprise development support through the Micro and Small Enterprises Authority, alongside skills enhancement under the Kenya Jobs Economic Transformation Project,” Oparanya said.
He emphasized that cooperatives remain a powerful vehicle for wealth creation, job generation and economic resilience, particularly for young entrepreneurs seeking to scale their enterprises sustainably.
Principal Secretary for MSMEs Development Susan Mang’eni underscored the government’s resolve to equip young people with relevant, market-driven skills to enable them to become economically productive and self-reliant.
“With the upcoming Nasewa Special Economic Zone, the proposed extension of the Standard Gauge Railway to Malaba, and the construction of a dry port, the youth of Teso North must prepare themselves to seize these emerging opportunities and position themselves at the centre of the region’s economic transformation,” Mang’eni said.
Teso North MP Oku Kaunya called for enhanced support for MSMEs, particularly in industrialisation and manufacturing.
He stressed the need to commercialise coffee and cotton production as critical inputs into the coffee and textile value chains, which are priority sectors under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
The Teso North Youth Conference brought together young people from across the constituency to engage with government leaders, gain insights into ongoing national empowerment programmes and explore pathways for meaningful participation in Kenya’s growing economy.