Narok Senator Ledama Olekina has issued a strong warning to the government, urging immediate and strategic investment in youth empowerment to prevent further unrest following the June 25, 2025, Gen Z-led protests.

Speaking on X on Thursday, June 26, 2025, Olekina emphasized that Kenya’s stability depends on how seriously the country addresses its growing youth unemployment crisis.

He called for a shift in national development priorities to ensure young people are at the center of decision-making, infrastructure building, and innovation.

“We need to create job opportunities for our youth to promote effective governance in this country,” Olekina posted. “It’s crucial that all our roads, hospitals, schools, agricultural sectors, and industries are developed by young people.”

The senator proposed a two-tiered approach to tackling youth joblessness. He suggested that high school graduates who are unable to continue their education be enrolled in a revitalized National Youth Service (NYS) model, where they would be deployed across all 47 counties to help implement local development budgets.

“High school graduates who cannot pursue further education should be directed to the National Youth Service across all 47 counties, with each county employing them to implement their budgets,” he wrote.

We need to create job opportunities for our youth to promote effective governance in this country. It’s crucial that all our roads, hospitals, schools, agricultural sectors, and industries are developed by young people. High school graduates who cannot pursue further education…

— Sen. Ledama Olekina (@ledamalekina) June 26, 2025

In addition to hands-on involvement in county development, Olekina called for more robust support systems for college and university graduates to enable them to innovate and lead in their professional fields.

He warned that without such targeted interventions, the nation risks further fallout from the frustration that fueled the June 25 protests.

“College graduates should be given the space and support to innovate. Otherwise, we may not fully understand the real intended and unintended consequences of June 25th,” he stated.

The senator’s remarks follow mass protests that erupted across Kenya, led by a digitally mobilized Gen Z population demanding government accountability, economic fairness, and youth inclusion.

While the protests were largely peaceful, the scale, coordination, and defiance displayed marked a turning point in civic engagement.

Olekina’s comments reflect the growing pressure on national leaders to not only acknowledge the anger expressed by young people but to act decisively. His call places the youth at the heart of Kenya’s future development and governance, not as passive recipients, but as active architects.