A group of young people has urged Wycliffe Oparanya, the nominee for Cabinet Secretary of Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development, to prioritize the needs of Gen Zs. During a youth summit in Nairobi, the group highlighted that out of over 50 million Kenyans, 18 million belong to Generation Z, and 12 million are millennials.
"Not all of us can be absorbed into traditional white-collar jobs by the government, but we can find opportunities within the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises sector," said Joseph Msanii, CEO and President of Hutsummit Solutions, an MSME consulting firm.
Msanii expressed gratitude to President William Ruto for nominating the former Kakamega governor as the CS for Cooperatives & MSME. He noted that while the President has a strong vision for economic transformation through the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, the plan lacked the right people for its execution.
The group called on Oparanya to involve young people in driving the country's economic agenda once he assumes his new role. "Creating a single white-collar job costs Sh1 million, but establishing a job in the blue economy sector only requires Sh200,000, according to the Bottom-Up Economic Model. With Oparanya's extensive experience in government, including as CS for Planning, National Development & Vision 2030, he has the expertise to advance the MSME agenda," Msanii added.
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The youth summit also emphasized the potential of the Hustler Fund to significantly impact the economy. "We urge the CS nominee, upon his confirmation, to restructure the Hustler Fund initiative by engaging stakeholders, including Gen Zs and millennials, in public discussions on how to make it effective," Msanii said. "It’s no longer about a few individuals making decisions in boardrooms; we need to be part of the decision-making process because it directly affects us."
Speaking at a Luhya community development conference over the weekend, Oparanya affirmed his readiness to serve in the government of national unity. "The most important thing is that I am ready to serve in this government of national unity. I will be open, offer suggestions, and propose what is best for the country because we want to move forward for the good of our nation," he stated. He also mentioned that his experience in developing the Vision 2030 plan equips him with the knowledge and expectations for his new role.
