TALENT NI KAZI

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UNLOCKING YOUTH TALENT AT MUCHATHA YOUTH EMPOWERMENT CENTRE

Margaret Kimemia

Youth Leader

Field visit: 26 August 2026

A woman points at a large sign on a building that says: Muchatha Youth Empowerment Centre, Republic of Kenya Ministry of ICT, Innovation & Youth Affairs. — *Muchatha Youth Empowerment Centre during a field visit on 26 August 2026.*

A visit to Muchatha

Muchatha is a community in Kiambu County, Kenya, along Limuru Road. On 26 August 2026, I visited the Muchatha Youth Empowerment Centre, near Muchatha School stage, to learn more about the opportunities available to young people in the area.

The centre is meant to provide a place where young people can develop skills, discover their talents and access opportunities. During my visit, however, the centre was closed, and there were no youth activities taking place at the time. This raised an important question: how can we encourage young people to kujitegemea if spaces created to help them gain skills are not active or accessible?

What does kujitegemea mean?

In this article, kujitegemea means becoming more self-reliant: gaining practical skills, knowledge, confidence and opportunities that can help a person pursue work, enterprise or other productive livelihoods.

Article 55: a Constitutional commitment

Article 55 of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, states that the State shall take measures, including affirmative action programmes, to ensure that young people have access to relevant education and training, opportunities to participate in political, social, cultural and other spheres of life, and employment opportunities.

For Muchatha, this constitutional commitment should translate into practical local opportunities. A youth empowerment centre should be more than a building or a sign on a wall; it should be a place where young people can actually learn, connect and build pathways for their future.

The same young woman stands in front of the building looking away from the camera towards the door. — *The Youth Empowerment Centre building documented during the visit.*

Connecting the centre with TVET

I also visited a nearby TVET facility. TVET stands for Technical and Vocational Education and Training. It provides practical and technical skills that can be applied in the world of work. The facility I visited displayed courses including electrical and wireman, motor vehicle mechanics, building technology, fashion and design, catering/food processing, information and communication technology (ICT), and computer packages.

I was informed that training was expected to resume on 9 September 2026. This presents an opportunity for the Youth Empowerment Centre and TVET to complement one another: the youth centre can support outreach, mentorship, talent development and referrals, while TVET provides structured technical and vocational training.

The young woman stands to the side with her open hand indicating a listing of course offerings on a wall. — *TVET courses displayed near Muchatha.*

What could a revived youth hub offer?

Muchatha needs a youth hub where young people can come together to learn, create and build. Young people are ready to learn new skills and develop their talents. The space could support acting, dancing, music, sports, digital skills, entrepreneurship, mentorship and other practical activities.

A functioning youth hub would also give young people a constructive place to spend their time, build positive networks and pursue their interests. Keeping young people engaged in productive activities can help reduce exposure to harmful influences and environments where time and potential may be wasted.

Listening before acting

This visit was an initial field observation, not a conclusion about why the centre was closed. I have not organised a local protest to reopen it. The next step is to identify the group or institution responsible for the centre and speak with them about its current status, whether there are plans to reopen, when that might happen, and what challenges need to be addressed.

It is equally important to listen to the young people of Muchatha. What skills would they like to learn? What talent programmes would attract them? What would make the centre a place they actually want to use? Their answers should help shape the future of the space.

We cannot keep telling young people to kujitegemea

while leaving opportunities for skills development out of reach.

References and resources

Constitution of Kenya, 2010, Article 55: https://www.parliament.go.ke/sites/default/files/2025-04/The_Constitution_of_Kenya_2010.pdf

TVET Authority (TVETA): https://www.tveta.go.ke/

All photos: Margaret Kimemia | Field visit, 26 August 2026