Philanthropist Rolls Out Ambitious Young Innovators' Platform Targeting 17 Nairobi Sub-Counties

• Philanthropist and politician Agnes Kagure said that Nairobi's transformation was anchored on innovations
• She challenged currently elected leaders to work with other like-minded organisations to empower and offer opportunities for young and innovative leaders
• Kagure disclosed rolling out an ambitious programme targeting youthful and innovative Nairobians

Michael Ollinga is a journalist at TUKO.co.ke with over 10 years of experience covering courts and crimes, special reports, and current affairs in Kenya.

Nairobi-based philanthropist and politician Agnes Kagure says the city needs innovation to match the status and dynamism of other global cities.

Nairobi innovators

This comes a few weeks after Kagure, who contested for the Nairobi gubernatorial seat in 2022, hinted that she was abroad to benchmark what other developed nations were doing to improve their infrastructure development and service delivery to the people.

Known for women's and youth empowerment programmes through her foundation and as the Kenya University Students Organisation (KUSO) patron, Kagure observed that innovators needed to work jointly and closely to offer transforming solutions for Nairobi.

Speaking to TUKO.co.ke, Kagure said city leaders need to offer opportunities to bring young innovators together as part of their development agenda and strategy for Kenya's capital.

Nairobi elected leaders

She challenged elected Nairobi leaders to prioritise transformative innovations by creating spaces where innovators can collaborate for a greater impact.

"I've always believed that a leader is an innovator and enabler who provides solutions, creates impact, and changes lives right from the grassroots," she said.

Kagure disclosed that she was setting up a platform to support upcoming leaders with a penchant for innovation.

"As a leader with eyes to the future, I'm very keen on supporting the next generation of leaders by enabling their ideas to sprout and grow to fruition for our posterity," she explained.

Young innovators' roundtables in Nairobi

She added that her foundation will hold a roundtable with young leaders and upcoming innovators from across Nairobi to empower them and connect them to opportunities to actualise their ideas and expand on what they have.

"I have tasked my foundation's outreach team to prepare a roundtable with budding entrepreneurs and innovators from our sub-counties to build each other up and lay the foundation for the future we desire," she said.

Nairobi has 17 sub-counties, including Starehe, Westlands, Embakasi West, Embakasi East, Lang'ata, Kasarani, Roysambu, Kamukunji, Embakasi Central, Dagoretti South, Dagoretti North, Embakasi North, Mathare, Makadara, Ruaraka, Embakasi South, and Kibra.

In a recent announcement, Kagure was overwhelmed with the transformation of over 800 former Nairobi ladies of the night who quit the morally questionable trade to open legitimate businesses.

Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, a multimedia journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke