The stalled Kazi kwa Vijana (Jobs for youth) Programme will be revived with a Sh4 billion cash injection.

The government had finalised plans to revive the programme after the donor community approved a Sh4 billion grant, Prime Minister Raila Odinga said on Wednesday.

Mr Odinga said his office was working on the modalities to roll out a revised phase of the programme.

“We have received the funds from the World Bank to re-launch the programme, but this time we have reorganised and revamped the KkV,” he said.

The PM told a delegation of professionals from Murang’a County, who had paid him a courtesy call at his office, that the revamped phase incorporated sustainable projects that created employment such as construction of fish ponds and garbage collection.

The delegation was concerned over the diminishing employment opportunities in the country and suggested that the government create more openings for thousands of school leavers.

Mr Odinga said vacancies in the public sector were limited and called for the expansion of the private sector to accommodate the jobless.

“The country releases at least 750,000 job-seekers annually but the public service can only offer 50,000 vacancies which arise out of natural attrition or retirement,” he said.

The PM also allayed fears that the ongoing construction of the Thika Superhighway would lock out Murang’a town.

“We want to link the two sides of the Aberdares through the rehabilitation of the Kangari-Njabini road and open up the region to the western part of the country,” he said.

The professionals told him they were opposed to tribal alliances and accused their proponents of having little regard for the unity of the country.