President William Ruto has cautioned leaders against politicising government programmes designed to uplift young people, strongly defending the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) initiative amid criticism over the Sh50,000 start-up grants issued to beneficiaries.
Speaking in Nyeri during the launch of the disbursement of Sh173.2 million in NYOTA business start-up capital, President Ruto dismissed claims that the amount allocated to each youth was insignificant, saying such criticism was out of touch with the realities faced by ordinary Kenyans.
“If you think Ksh50,000 is little money, it is little to you and your family because you are rich. With Sh50,000, you can begin a business,” the President said.
The funds will benefit 6,982 young entrepreneurs drawn from Nyeri, Murang’a, Nyandarua and Kirinyaga counties.
The event was held at Kabiru Grounds and attended by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, Nyandarua Governor Kiarie Badilisha, Cabinet Secretaries Salim Mvurya (Sports) and Alice Wahome (Lands), National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, among other leaders.
President Ruto said those criticising the programme had failed to offer better alternatives or empower young people during their time in leadership, urging them not to despise modest beginnings.
He explained that NYOTA is part of a broader government strategy to expand youth opportunities across multiple sectors.
According to the President, the programme targets 820,000 young people and is anchored on four pillars: business support, recognition of prior learning, training and mentorship, and savings.
He added that NYOTA complements other initiatives such as the Affordable Housing Programme, overseas employment opportunities and digital jobs.
He noted that the Affordable Housing Programme has already created more than 500,000 jobs, while jobs abroad have benefited about 500,000 young people, boosting diaspora remittances by $1 billion (about Sh130 billion) over the past two years.
On digital employment, President Ruto said the government has laid 30,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable, with plans to reach 100,000 kilometres in the coming years.
“This will enable one million young people to work in the digital economy. Already, 300,000 are earning livelihoods in the digital space today,” he said.
The President emphasised that youth are central to the country’s development agenda, describing Kenya’s young, educated and skilled population as its greatest asset.
“We must get value for the Sh700 billion we spend on education by making sure that the young people completing school, college and university are placed in areas where they can contribute to the progress of our nation,” he said.
He highlighted investments in education, including the hiring of 100,000 teachers, construction of 23,000 classrooms and 1,600 laboratories, and the promotion of 25,000 teachers.
“Education is the single biggest empowerment we can give to the young people of our nation,” he added.
Deputy President Kindiki urged beneficiaries to invest wisely, saying, “It is possible to start small and grow big.”
Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya said the NYOTA programme targets young entrepreneurs to transform their hustles into employers, while Ichung’wah encouraged youth to save, noting that investments are a function of savings.
During the Nyeri tour, President Ruto also opened a tuition block at PCEA Nyamachaki Comprehensive School, inspected the ongoing construction of the 84km Kenol–Sagana–Marua road, commissioned the Karatina Marigiti Modern Market and launched the Karatina Affordable Housing Project.
