Youth Council Responds To Calls For PS Fikirini's Resignation

Youth Council Responds To Calls For PS Fikirini’s Resignation

The National Youth Council (NYC) has denied claims that it requested the resignation of Youth Affairs Principal Secretary Fikirini Jacobs following the suspected killing of youth activist Cecil Ouma on June 30.

In a statement issued on Monday, July 6, the council stated that it had taken note of stories circulating on social media tying it to requests for the PS’s removal, but that the reports were false.

NYC stated that it had not made nor sanctioned such demands, and asked the public to reject them.

“The National Youth Council (NYC) has taken note of recent media reports circulating in various mainstream and digital media platforms regarding the incident of the alleged shooting of youth mobiliser Cecil Ouma on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, and purported calls for the resignation of the Principal Secretary for Youth Affairs and Creative Economy, Mr. Fikirini Jacobs,” NYC stated in a statement.

“We wish to categorically state that the National Youth Council is not a party to these allegations, nor have we sanctioned any calls for the removal of the Principal Secretary,” the statement added.

For Immediate Release:

PRESS STATEMENT BY THE NATIONAL YOUTH COUNCIL ON RECENT MEDIA REPORTING pic.twitter.com/AJdh9L2jKB— National Youth Council Kenya (@NYC_YouthVoice) July 6, 2026

The council maintains that it is a nonpartisan state corporation established to promote the welfare and empowerment of Kenyan youth, and that it has no right to seek the resignation of public officials.

It adds that any grievances or accusations against a public officer should be addressed through the established legal and administrative processes rather than through public campaigns.

“As a responsible State Corporation, we respect the rule of law and the due process afforded to all public officers,” the statement added.

“We believe that any grievances or accusations regarding the conduct of a public official should follow the established legal and procedural frameworks.”

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The statement comes amid reports on the internet that the council had called for the resignation of Fikirini after the incident on June 30 during a youth empowerment programme in Kariokor, Nairobi County.

According to witness reports, the youth mobiliser was shot on June 30 after a dispute over a cash token arose among some youth.

Witnesses claimed a confrontation ensued after an irate youth attempted to return a token that they deemed too little, resulting in a confrontation that turned deadly.

However, according to a source close to PS Fikirini, while some allege excessive force, other reports suggest the deceased attempted to grab a firearm from a bodyguard during the altercation.

The PS later recorded a statement on the matter as investigations continue to determine what might have transpired.

According to Fikirini, seven people, including two of his bodyguards, had also been summoned and were aiding the police with investigations.

Youth Council Responds To Calls For PS Fikirini’s Resignation