Former Liberia President Sirleaf Urges State Agencies To Empower Youth

NAIROBI,Kenya, Mar, 17 – Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has urged public service bodies to accomodate more young people.

Sirleaf was speaking in Nairobi when she witnessed the Public Service Commission inauguration of 50 fellows into a one year programme on Public Service.

The Public Service Emerging Leaders Fellowship programme seeks to impart knowledge on the key pillars to public service delivery.

“I urge you to make every effort to make and give these emerging leaders the chance, the space and the voice to be able to serve,” Sirleaf, who also Co-chairs the Global Board of the Emerging Public Leaders, said.

Sirleaf, who was Africa’s first female president, said that the initiative would help drive more effective service delivery and development for the country by young people.

“Congratulations to the fellows for being among the 50 out of 5,000 applicants to join the first cohort. I am even more pleased to know that gender parity was achieved with 25 men and 25 women,” she said.

In a speech read by the Head of Public Service, Joseph Kinyua, President Uhuru Kenyatta said that the PSC needs to ensure that it accommodates more young people at all levels.

“I encourage the Public Service Commission to go beyond the entry level staff, review on-going mid-career and senior leadership training programmes to ensure they provide the requisite skills to build a public sector of the future; a public sector that is fit for purpose,” he said.

The President said that Kenya has over the last 20 years made significant progress in modernizing its public service to ensure that those working in it remain efficient and effective in their duties.

“The performance management system has strengthened the effectiveness of the public sector, creating a sharper focus on results and impact.  Accountability has been increased through systematic stakeholder consultations at critical stages of programme development and implementation,” he said.

Emerging Leaders Foundation Africa Founder and Executive Director, Caren Wakoli, said that the programme solely targets young people at the entry point of public service.

“They are going to learn about how to be citizen-centric, public sector ethos and values, and public sector leadership. Part of the benefits of this programme is that it will be creating a succession plan for the public service as the youth get to be mentored by those who have gone before them,” she said.

Speaking during the event, Public Service Commission chairperson Ambassador Antony Muchiri said the cohorts will be taken through a rigorous academic and practical program that is contextualized to local perspectives.

“It is purposely designed to promote a culture of collaboration that will harness an environment that is inclusive,” he said.