Members of the National Assembly have backed a proposal seeking to open up employment opportunities for thousands of National Youth Service (NYS) graduates by deploying them as security officers in government institutions and private firms.
The Motion, sponsored by Kilifi County MP Gertrude Mbeyu, seeks to establish a policy framework that would facilitate the recruitment of trained NYS graduates to provide supplementary security services in public institutions.
The proposal comes amid growing concerns over youth unemployment, with approximately 18,000 young people graduating from the NYS annually, yet many struggle to secure jobs despite undergoing government-sponsored training.
Mbeyu argues that the Government should tap into the skills acquired by the graduates instead of allowing them to remain unemployed while public institutions continue engaging private security companies.
The proposed framework would prioritise NYS graduates for security positions in ministries, departments and government agencies while establishing clear guidelines on recruitment, deployment, remuneration, training and career progression.
It also seeks to define how NYS graduates and private security firms would share responsibilities within the country's security sector.
The initiative is anchored in Article 55 of the Constitution, which requires the State to take measures to ensure that young people access relevant education and training, employment opportunities and avenues to participate in national development.
Supporting the Motion, Kitutu Chache MP Japheth Nyakundi said the country was wasting resources by training young people without providing clear pathways into employment.
“We have invested a lot of money as a country to train these youth, only for them to remain jobless after graduating from the NYS,” Nyakundi said.
He urged the Government to explore opportunities for absorbing the graduates into the private security sector, where their training could be put to practical use.
Ol Kalou MP Sammy Douglas Waweru said NYS graduates receive extensive training that should give them an advantage when seeking security-related jobs.
He called for policies requiring private security companies to recruit personnel who meet prescribed training standards.
“Considering the extensive training that the NYS provides, we must develop clear policies requiring security guards, who play a critical role in society, to be properly trained,” Waweru said.
Mbeere North MP Leonard Wa Muthende also supported the proposal, questioning the adequacy of training offered to some security guards compared with the rigorous courses undertaken by NYS graduates.
“I support this Motion because it is not proper to have security personnel who receive only two to four days of training guarding us when NYS graduates have undergone rigorous courses and are ready to serve as security officers,” he said.
Embu County MP Pamela Njoki called for a legal and policy framework to guide the transition from training to employment, saying the Government needed a clear exit strategy for NYS recruits.
“The Government should have a legal framework and policy that looks at the exit programme for trainees. What is the exit plan for the NYS trainees after they have been trained?” she posed.
If adopted and implemented, the proposed framework could provide a structured pathway into employment for NYS graduates while helping address staffing needs in the security sector.
However, its success would depend on the development of clear recruitment guidelines, coordination between government agencies and private security firms, and the availability of funded positions for the graduates.
