Nairobi: A total of 26,499 youth in Nairobi County are set to be recruited under the National Climate Work Programme, a government initiative aimed at creating employment opportunities while promoting climate resilience through public works. Nairobi County Commissioner David Wanyonyi announced that these youths will engage in various activities along the road networks, including unclogging drainage systems, sweeping, bush clearing, and grass cutting.

According to Kenya News Agency, Commissioner Wanyonyi, speaking during a Climate Worx steering committee meeting, highlighted that since October 2024, 21,943 youths have been actively cleaning the Nairobi, Mathare, and Ngong rivers, clearing bushes, and establishing tree nurseries along these rivers. The programme’s expansion to include road work has created additional job opportunities for the youth.

The County Commissioner noted that with this expansion, the number of youths working under the Climate Work Programme in Nairobi will increase to 48,392. These young workers will be supervised by 1,614 supervisors from the National Youth Service (NYS), bringing the total number of individuals employed in this initiative to 50,006.

Nationally, the programme aims to engage over 110,000 youths in labor-intensive projects focusing on roads and infrastructure, environmental conservation, and housing and urban development. Wanyonyi mentioned that the application portal is active, with 80,000 youths having already applied for the jobs and being notified to attend interviews in their respective sub-counties.

The youths in Nairobi will be distributed across 18 sub-counties, including Dagoretti North, Dagoretti South, Starehe, Westlands, Kibra, Kamukunji, Kasarani, Makadara, Mathare, Langata, Njiru, Ruaraka, Roysambu, Embakasi Central, Embakasi North, Embakasi South, Embakasi East, and Embakasi West.