Murang’a: Various heads of departments in the national and county governments have been incorporated into a committee that will oversee and coordinate the implementation of the Climate Workx programme within Murang’a County. The committee will be led by County Commissioner Joshua Nkanatha, with deputy county commissioners managing daily activities under the programme in their respective sub-counties.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Climate Workx programme, executed by the State Departments of Roads and Housing, is designed to address youth unemployment while enhancing environmental resilience. During the inaugural meeting held in his office, Nkanatha announced that Murang’a County has been allocated 1,442 workers and 49 supervisors. The programme specifically targets youth aged between 18 and 35 years and is set to run for six months.
Nkanatha outlined that the government-initiated programme aims to mitigate youth unemployment, with interested candidates required to apply through a mobile app to be laun
ched soon. The workers will engage in manual and semi-skilled tasks in environmental conservation, community infrastructure maintenance, and national awareness. Activities will include road repairs, clearing bushes along roads, propagating tree seedlings, planting trees, and maintaining cleanliness in trading centres and towns.
The committee has agreed to allocate the positions across constituencies, with Mathioya, Kigumo, Kangema, and Kandara each receiving 200 slots; Gatanga getting 206; and both Maragua and Kiharu receiving 218 workers. The commissioner urged DCCs and ACCs to promote the programme in public forums to maximize youth participation. He emphasized the importance of monitoring and daily reporting to ensure the programme’s success.
County Director of Housing, Ms. Laureen Wasungu, stated that 30 percent of the positions will be reserved for persons with disabilities, encouraging their participation and promising reasonable accommodations for an inclusive work environment. She added that a stric
t 50:50 gender balance will be maintained, with only one person per household eligible for recruitment to ensure equitable opportunity distribution.
The recruitment will be village-based, with youth deployed locally to facilitate supervision and minimize transport costs. Workers will earn Sh500 daily, with supervisors receiving Sh580, with wages disbursed bi-weekly.