Lang'ata MP Phelix Odiwuor, popularly known as Jalang'o, has stood by his proposal to make National Youth Service (NYS) training compulsory for all Form Four graduates, saying the country is producing young people who leave school academically prepared but lack the discipline and practical skills needed to face adulthood.
Speaking in support of the proposal, the lawmaker said many school leavers are struggling with responsibility and independence, a trend he believes can be reversed through structured national service before they join universities, colleges or the workforce.
"There's also this breed of men who've just become too weak, too weaklings, and the only thing that maybe he knows well is maybe his followers on the online page," he said.
Jalang'o said the transition from secondary school into adult life should involve more than classroom learning, arguing that young people need an environment that teaches resilience, self-discipline and accountability.
According to him, values that once helped shape responsible citizens are slowly disappearing, leaving many young people without the ability to take charge of their lives or respect those around them.
"There's something that is running away from our young people. Self-discipline, responsibility, respect, and just being in charge," he said.
The MP said becoming a mature adult is not only about age or traditional cultural practices but also about learning everyday responsibilities that prepare a person for life.
He added that simple habits and personal responsibility are part of what defines a dependable individual, saying young people should be equipped to take care of themselves while remaining respectful and reliable in society.
"There's something about a real man who knows how to spread his bed. There's something about a real man who knows how to leave the house and be the man out there in the street and be responsible," he said.
Jalang'o expressed confidence that six months of paramilitary-style training under the National Youth Service would help reshape the thinking of young people by promoting discipline, patriotism and a sense of duty.
"I know very well a six-month paramilitary training could change a lot in how a young man who's left high school would be able to think. The psyche and everything," he said.
His remarks come a day after he announced that he is preparing a Bill that would require every student to report to the National Youth Service immediately after completing secondary school.
If enacted, the proposal would make NYS training a mandatory step before students proceed to universities, technical institutions or other career opportunities.
Jalang'o has pointed to countries such as Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, saying they have mandatory national service programmes, while noting that Kenya also operated a similar model in the past.
He said the planned programme would combine paramilitary drills with vocational training, leadership development and civic education to help young people transition into responsible adulthood.
At present, joining the National Youth Service remains voluntary.
Those seeking admission must be Kenyan citizens aged between 18 and 24 years, possess a national identity card, score at least a D (plain) in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), pass medical and physical examinations and present a Certificate of Good Conduct.
Successful applicants undertake six months of physical and paramilitary training before proceeding to national service assignments and later technical and vocational training.