NAIROBI - President Mwai Kibaki today officially opened the historic first World Scout Moot to be held in Africa. Speaking at Jamhuri Park in Nairobi during the official opening of the moot that brought together over 1,600 scouts from 66 countries across the world, President Kibaki said the Government is doing everything possible to prepare the country’s youth for a responsible and productive adulthood.
The President, who is also the patron of the Kenya Scouts Association, reaffirmed his Government’s commitment to ensuring that all the youth in the country get sound education and a fair chance in life, adding that was why it was offering free primary education and subsidized secondary education.
“We are also offering bursaries and loans to finance higher education for needy but deserving young people,” President Kibaki said.
In this regard, President Kibaki urged the youth to take education seriously, set their priorities right and maintain high standards of discipline.
“As young people you must study hard and develop your skills if you are to succeed in today’s highly competitive world,” President Kibaki advised young people.
The President also called on teachers and parents to be good role models and to ensure they mould the youth into responsible citizens.
President Kibaki further appealed to the parents and teachers to allow as many young people as possible to join the Scout Movement.
He said the Government appreciated the important role the Scouting Movement has been playing for the past 100 years in moulding country’s young people to be responsible and successful citizens who contribute positively to national development.
The Head of State observed that most of Kenya ’s outstanding leaders who were scouts excelled in their leadership positions in politics, religion, business, public and private sectors.
Said the President: “This is because of the firm foundation the scouting movement laid for them. We must appreciate that good leaders are made not born.”
In this connection, President Kibaki challenged institutions which deal with young people to provide a window for joining the movement by establishing scouts units.
He also appealed to stakeholders to continue supporting the Scout Movement so that it could continue to grow and benefit the country’s young people.
Noting that this is the first time an African country is hosting the moot since its inception in 1931, President Kibaki thanked the World Organization of Scout Movement for granting the Kenya Scouts Association the honour to host the important global event.
The President said the selection of Kenya as the host is a vote of confidence on the central position the country holds in the scouting movement.
“Indeed, and as you are aware, Kenya was not only the first country in Africa to start the Scouts Movement, but is also the final resting place of the founder of the Scouts Movement, Lord Baden Powell. It is my hope that you will create time to visit the grave where his remains and those of his wife are laid in Nyeri Town ,” the President said.
President Kibaki observed that the Global Scouting Moot provides scouts with an opportunity to come together and learn, share experiences, create new networks and lifelong friendships as well as participate in voluntary service to communities.
He, therefore, expressed hope that the experiences, knowledge and skills the participants would acquire in the course of the event would go a long way in promoting the overall aim of the Scouting Movement, which is to promote their full physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual development.
The President reminded the youth that as taught in the scout movement, through dedicated duty to God, to others and to oneself, they can succeed in building a better world for all.
“Let no one, therefore, stop you, as young people, from bringing positive change and progress to your communities, countries and the world at large,” President Kibaki said.
He asked the youth to be courageous, bold and optimistic in seeking to change their circumstances for the better and challenged them to make use of every opportunity at their disposal, saying inside each one of them there were the seeds of greatness and potential to effect changes.
Urging the visiting participants to tour and enjoy the country’s scenic beauty of natural attractions and experience the hospitality of Kenyan people, President Kibaki also appealed to them to be ambassadors of goodwill by telling the story of what they saw while in Kenya .
During the 12 days of the scouting event, contemporary issues like peace, conflict resolution, environmental conservation and management, health and human rights will be discussed.
“These issues are of critical importance, especially in Africa today. It is my hope that your dialogue will not only provide knowledge and awareness of these and other issues but also cultivate among the youth the leadership skills needed to address these challenges,” President Kibaki said.
Other speakers included Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Prof. Helen Sambili, Africa Scout Committee Chairperson Ms. Jemima Nartey and Chief Scout Francis ole Kaparo among others.
Source:PPS
