Winnie Odinga: Creating jobs is not the work of governors
By Arnold Ngure, August 11, 2025EALA MP Winnie Odinga has stated that governors have no obligation to create jobs for the youth.
Speaking during the pre-devolution conference held at the Ruma National Park in Homa Bay County on Sunday, August 10, 2025, Winnie noted that what is happening in the country is a mismatch between the needs of the youth and the solutions by those in leadership.
“The questions I have heard you ask these governors are how they can create jobs, and what they have done with SHA. That is not their job; their job is not to create jobs. Their job is to provide the infrastructure for services,” Winnie stated.
Different conversations
She indicated that the leadership of the country and the youth were having two different conversations, a situation that has resulted in unrest and protests in the country.
“There is an anger in the nation that people are afraid to acknowledge. The leadership and the youth are having two different conversations,” she observed.
“They have been so angry that they have reached a point that they must go to the streets because the street is the only form of communication that the leadership of Kenya is willing to acknowledge.”
Reason for demonstrations
Winnie equally stated that the reason why the youth continue to fill the streets in protest is that the government does not listen to their grievances.
“There would be no need for them to be killed if there is no need for them to go to the streets. Going to the streets is a last resort, and the youth go to the streets
because we are not listening,” she said.
A total of 115 people have been killed during demonstrations since 2024, pointing to a worrying trend where the youth have paid the ultimate price for their agitation.
Among the issues raised by the youth are soaring unemployment, corruption, police brutality, extra-judicial killings, and abductions.
Peaceful protests have often been repulsed by disproportionate force, creating situations where police officers are confronted with protesters. Many of these confrontations have resulted in the deaths and serious injuries of unarmed civilians.