- The motion seeks to compel the Johnson Sakaja administration to invest in rehabilitating the halls.
- Two MCAs have urged the governor open up Uhuru Park and Jamhuri to the public to serve as a social space for talent incubation.
Image: WILFRED NYANGARESI
A Nairobi MCA has demanded that the City Hall refurbishes and modernises all social halls in the city’s sub-counties to revive the creative economy.
Through a motion in the Nairobi county assembly, Harambe MCA Antony Kimemia Gathumbi says the county social halls are in state of neglect and dilapidated, denying youths a space to exercise their creativity and talents.
The motion seeks to compel the Johnson Sakaja administration to invest in rehabilitating the halls and where there is none, build new ones.
The county has 17 sub-counties.
The motion adds pressure already mounted by two MCAs in the assembly to have the governor open up Uhuru Park and Jamhuri to the public to serve as a social space for talent incubation.
Motions by Perpetua Mponjiwa and Waithera Chege demanded that the parks be rehabilitated expeditiously and the public allowed in for games and other talents.
Gathumbi's motion draws strength from Article 55 of the Constitution of Kenya that requires the state to take measures, including affirmative action programmes, to ensure that the youth have opportunities to associate, be represented and participate in political, social, economic and other spheres of life, access employment and are protected from harmful cultural practices and exploitation.
“….Part Two of the Fourth Schedule to the Constitution [mandates county governments to] ensuring and coordinating the participation of communities and locations in governance at the local level and assisting communities and locations to develop the administrative capacity for the effective exercise of the functions and powers and participation in governance at the local level.”
The lawmaker says that the Sakaja administration has neglected its duty in maintain the social spaces, thereby making youths lack alternative but to get into crime and drugs.
The inability to exploit the talents of the young people has also made them dependent on the small working class, thereby stretching family resources, the motions reads.
“…. concerned that there is joblessness among youth with talents in the County which has negative impact on the economy as it forces to depend on small working class thus stretching family resources.”
“…… most county social halls are in deplorable conditions due to negligence and desertion by the County Government which has contributed to lack of talent nurturing venues for youth within the County,” the proposal reads.
The motion says that if well rehabilitated, resourced and professionally maintained, the creative economy may become the crucial mainstay of the county, creating jobs and shoring up the quality of living.
The MCA says that he was concerned that talents like dances, painting, drawing, comedy, among other works of art have become overlooked yet they had capacity to improve the lot of youths.
“…noting that creative Arts and Talents Sector is greatly overlooked, under-appreciated window of opportunity in the County where youth with talents can be mentored to discover, develop and build up their capacities.”
“…..acknowledging that in many developed countries creative arts such as films, music, dance and painting amongst others have proved to be well-paying and good revenue earnings.”
“…this Assembly urges the County Executive to urgently rehabilitate and modernize all the existing County Social halls and streamline their management to ensure that youths across the County are encouraged and mentored to develop and manage their arts and talents in the County."