YOUTH EMPOWERMENT Abstract The question of youth empowerment is both a societal and a personal one.

It is a societal question in that the society and its various factors and expectations have a direct bearing on the life of an individual youth; but it is also a personal question as the resolutions and will to be empowered rests with the individual youth. The government of Kenya, like any other government in Africa, has been concerned with the phenomenon of youth, and in last eight years, it has attempted to address the issue in various ways; among them was the establishment of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, introduction of youth fund, creation of employment opportunities, and even including them in decision making processes. The Kenya Vision 2030 talks of promoting equity in power and resource distribution even to the youth and vulnerable groups, and improving livelihoods, and forming responsible, globally competitive and prosperous youth. Whereas we acknowledge that substantial steps have been made, experience, however, shows that the question of youth empowerment in Kenya still has a long way to be realized. This paper, therefore, discusses various challenges affecting the process of youth empowerment by promoting them in business, employment and recreation. It cites both personal and societal challenges and argues that attention to the challenges will speed up the process.