Farewell Speech by the Outgoing Director General NYS Matilda Sakwa.

Farewell speech by the Outgoing Director General Matilda Sakwa (Ms.), EBS.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
The only truth that we all have to face, whether we want to or not, is that everything that has a beginning eventually ends. Today is one of those days for us to experience this reality. As I leave, I choose to draw my inspiration from the fact that the only constant in life is change.

Indeed, the proclamation in the Book of Ecclesiastes that there is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens rings true. There was a time to join the Service and by God’s Grace, it is now time to leave.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
I thank the Almighty God for affording me the wisdom and grit to run this great institution for four years but I cannot thank Him enough for shielding me from disdain and ridicule at this time of exit.

I had always prayed for an honorable exit and I am happy He granted it. You all know what my two immediate former predecessors had to contend with.
They left unnoticed and unannounced but I leave when the sun is high up and in the presence of all and sundry. I leave having served as the first woman Service Commander, a feat that no mortal can erase from the books of history. I leave when a majority think I should have stayed a little longer.

I leave with praises and gifts. I leave with my head high because I was handed over a broken pot but through your support I mended it and now I leave behind a pot worthy of a dignified use. I leave footprints that will inspire hope that given the chance and the support, women can also accomplish the hardest of tasks. Indeed, my experience serving this institution has confirmed to me that I am a strong woman. I hope to do my best wherever I will go.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Goodbyes hurt the most when the story was not finished. However, my own assessment is that I finished my story. I believe that is the reason God wants me to leave. We managed to bring back the stellar image and glory of the Service. There is renewed confidence from within and from without. We have put in place systems to curb unethical practices and now, the name NYS and the principles of accountability and transparency are no longer strange bedfellows. I came in when the morale of the officers was at its lowest but I feel a winner because the issues of staff stagnation and poor succession management are in the past. In a nutshell, with your support, we managed to bring the Service back on the right trajectory.

I pray that it remains on this course. I find it more fulfilling that my leadership was able to impact the lives of a good fraction of the youth of this country.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
No one is an island and I would be lying if I said that my success was not largely because of the support I received from different quarters. Allow me to begin by thanking my family for urging me on. I remember when I was apprehensive of taking up the acting appointment as the Director General of this Service, my family believed in me and persuaded me to take the plunge.

Your prayers and moral support have been invaluable. I am glad I did not let you down.
I also wish to sincerely thank the Government for giving me the opportunity to serve in the position of Director General, National Youth Service. My appointment came at a time when only men were entrusted with the management of disciplined services and I immediately knew I had to man up if I was to succeed. It has been a tough journey but I thank God for the victory and the lessons. I say thank you to the Council for playing its oversight role as mandated by the NYS Act, 2018. We have had a good working relationship. Please extend the same to the next Director General.

May I specially thank the acting Director General, Mr. James Tembur, from the bottom of my heart. When I joined the Service, you were acting as the Director General.
Naturally, one would have expected you to undermine me. On the contrary, you gave me all the support I needed. I cannot have asked for a better colleague and deputy. I found you acting and I leave you acting. It is my prayer that this time round you may be confirmed to continue steering the Service from where I have left.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
I cannot fail to thank the staff in my office who have stood with me to the end. From Mr. Juma who diligently coordinated work in my office, my office administrators Sharon and Carolyne, my drivers Hassan and Olenashuru, allow me to make special mention of my ADC, Mr. Kiambati Sandara. I picked him to be my ADC even though I knew he had served the previous DG and it turned out that I made a wise decision. He inducted me in the traditions of the Service with unmatched passion. May God bless this lot moving forward.

The acting Deputy Director General, Mr. Chabari, I have watched you grow in the Service to where you are currently. You are part of my success story for the short stint I have worked with you. Please support James in his new appointment. You will only succeed by supporting others.

To my dependable directors- Jacky, Maggy, Ndegwa, Kendagor, Kairu, Kingori and Waqo – you were the lighthouse that guided my ship. May you always find favour in whatever you do. Mr. Macharia, the head of accounting unit, may God bless you. A special mention also goes to all the Regional Commanders and Commanding Officers. You have a special place in my heart for taking good care of the servicemen and women put under your care in your respective units, sometimes under difficult conditions. The principals of our schools, please feel appreciated for the contribution you made towards my success. May the entire rank and file of the Service starting from the servicemen and women feel appreciated.

Finally, I cannot be forgiven for not mentioning a special category of my support system. Friends. Those who are here and out there. Your calls and messages of goodwill have always lifted my spirit.
In the words of Alexander Graham Bell, when one door closes, another opens. Let us not look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door lest it blinds us from seeing the one which has opened for us. The God who has closed this chapter has opened another one.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is not possible to mention everybody by name but I want all of you to know that your individual and collective contributions towards my legacy is not in dispute.

You are seated deeply at the heart of it and I will forever cherish you. Please resist the temptation to take the Service back to where we redeemed it from, the consequences may haunt you throughout your life. It is my hope that our paths will cross again.
Thank You