- Political activist and lawyer Morara Kebaso has urged graduates to embrace entrepreneurship instead of waiting for formal employment.
- He encouraged young people to seek elective leadership positions and inspire others to overcome hopelessness.
- Kebaso called for stronger investment in TVET training, youth enterprise and mentorship to tackle unemployment.
Political activist and lawyer Morara Kebaso has challenged young Kenyans, particularly university graduates, to embrace entrepreneurship and seek elective leadership positions as a way of inspiring hope among their peers.
Speaking in Nyamira Town, Kebaso said millions of unemployed young people had become discouraged, with some turning to drug and substance abuse instead of pursuing opportunities that could transform their lives.
He urged the youth to start small businesses that would enable them to earn a living while regaining dignity and respect within society.
Kebaso said waiting for formal employment was no longer a realistic option for many graduates and school leavers.
He encouraged young people to identify needs within their communities and build small enterprises using the skills they already possess.
Among the opportunities he highlighted were tailoring, carpentry, mobile phone repair, baking, hairdressing, tutoring and salon services, many of which require little capital to start.
For those with access to land, he recommended small-scale agribusiness ventures such as poultry farming, rabbit rearing, mushroom farming and kitchen gardening.
He also encouraged youth groups to lease farmland collectively and venture into commercial production of vegetables and fruits for local markets.
Harnessing the digital economy
Kebaso said the digital economy also presents numerous opportunities for young people.
He cited boda boda delivery services, mobile money agencies, online content creation, graphic design, freelance writing and data entry as businesses that can be started using a smartphone and internet connection.
He further encouraged young people to embrace table banking and chama savings groups, where members contribute small weekly amounts to finance business start-ups.
According to him, discipline in saving and prudent financial management remain critical ingredients for business growth.
He also urged young entrepreneurs to take advantage of Government initiatives such as the Youth Enterprise Development Fund, Uwezo Fund and Hustler Fund by forming registered groups and maintaining proper financial records.
TVET and leadership opportunities
Kebaso encouraged young people to enrol in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to acquire practical skills in welding, electrical installation, ICT, plumbing, hairdressing and catering.
He said such courses provide direct pathways to self-employment and sustainable livelihoods.
The lawyer also defended young people against stereotypes portraying them as idle or irresponsible.
He argued that society should provide better mentorship and opportunities rather than condemning unemployed youth.
According to Kebaso, religious institutions should modernise their programmes to better engage young people and provide spaces where faith, talent and enterprise can flourish.
“We must create spaces where talent, faith and enterprise meet, or we will keep losing our young people,” he said.
Kebaso, who has declared interest in the Borabu parliamentary seat in the 2027 General Election, said the constituency possesses numerous underutilised resources that could be transformed into youth empowerment centres.
He cited idle community halls, dormant youth polytechnics and unused agricultural projects as facilities that could support skills training and entrepreneurship.
“Despondency is expensive. A small business, however humble, restores dignity and becomes a classroom for bigger things,” he said.
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He concluded by urging teachers, parents and community leaders to mentor young people away from drug abuse and towards entrepreneurship, saying economic independence remains the surest path to restoring hope.
By Enock Okong’o
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