The lawmakers sitting at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) claim the Sh506 million program has failed to pick in almost all constituencies it has been implemented.
During a session with Youth Affairs Principal Secretary Jacobs Fikirini, the MPs said it is unacceptable that no activity is happening in the centers since their construction.
So far, the committee heard that 156 centers have been built.
The oversight committee was considering the ministry’s 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 audit reports where the centers were flagged. Teso South MP Mary Emase said the centers did not provide value for money as there were no activity ongoing.
"I would like to say there is no value for money in the said center. For instance i have one center in my constituency that was started in 2013 and up to now nothing has commenced. Mr. PS tell us what was the intention behind the plan for the construction of centers.I don't think there is need to construct more yet for more than 5 years nothing has been going on," Elachi said. Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo demanded that a status report of the youth empowerment programs be tabled before any project is started. Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera said the country is just wasting public money on the centers as they have been of no value to the youths. He disclosed that due to the non-functionality of one the centers, one of the building had been converted in to lecture halls for students of Kenya Medical Training Centers (KMTC). "Mr PS why are you insisting on having a building that is dilapidated and then you brand it as empowerment center. These buildings have no desks, n no officers, its a shame. They are just ugly building because they are non -functional," he said. Auditor general Nancy Gathungu noted that most YECs are significantly understaffed, which adversely affects the coordination and delivery of services to the youth especially where one officer is in charge of more than one Youth Empowerment Centre.
"We wish to state that the State department has no budgetary allocation in the financial year 2026/2027 to cater for staff recruitment. We seek the intervention of the committee to address this key challenge which is affecting service delivery to the citizens of this country," she stated. INSTANT ANALYSIS
During a session with Youth Affairs Principal Secretary Jacobs Fikirini, the MPs said it is unacceptable that no activity is happening in the centers since their construction.
