Ruto announces 50,000 new internship opportunities from January

President William Ruto has announced plans to create 50,000 additional places in the national internship programme from January 2027, promising monthly stipends for young people leaving universities, technical and vocational training institutions and other colleges as the government steps up efforts to tackle unemployment.

Speaking during the 2026 Mashujaa Day celebrations in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, on Tuesday, October 20, Ruto said the expansion would give more young Kenyans an opportunity to gain workplace experience and improve their chances of securing employment.

“From January 2027, we will expand the national internship program to accommodate another 50,000 young Kenyans out of college, out of our TVETs, and out of our universities, and they will receive a stipend every month,” he said.

The planned expansion will use a digital and merit-based selection system, while incentives will be introduced to encourage private employers to offer young people opportunities to gain practical work experience.

Ruto acknowledged that many young Kenyans struggle to secure their first jobs because employers often demand previous work experience, leaving new graduates with limited opportunities to enter the labour market.

“Too many young people cannot secure employment without experience, yet cannot gain experience without employment,” he said.

The announcement comes as unemployment, underemployment and the availability of well-paying jobs remain major concerns for Kenyans, particularly young people entering the workforce each year.

Although agriculture, construction, trade, manufacturing and the service sector continue to provide employment, many workers depend on informal jobs or work arrangements that offer limited security. Graduates also face difficulties finding stable employment, while rising living costs continue to put pressure on households whose earnings have not kept pace with their expenses.

The government has been promoting digital employment, entrepreneurship, affordable housing and overseas job opportunities as part of its wider approach to creating work for young people. However, the number of sustainable jobs available and the ability of these initiatives to meet demand remain important issues in the country's economic debate.

Ruto Sets Out Targets for Millions of Jobs

Beyond the additional internship positions, the President outlined the government's employment ambitions for the next three years, setting targets for digital work, international job placements and opportunities expected to arise from affordable housing and related investments.

“Over the next three years, our ambition is to expand digital employment opportunities towards 2 million, international labor opportunities towards 1 million, and employment opportunities generated through housing and related investment towards another 2 million.”

Under the plan, the government aims to expand digital employment opportunities to two million, connect one million Kenyans to jobs abroad and generate another two million employment opportunities through housing projects and related investments.

Ruto pointed to ongoing construction projects as part of the government's efforts to create jobs, saying 303,000 housing units were at different stages of development.

He added that the government was developing more than 450 markets and student accommodation facilities intended to serve 180,000 students.

According to the President, housing projects and related investments have already generated more than 1.1 million employment opportunities in construction and associated industries.

The administration is also relying on digital work initiatives to widen access to income-generating opportunities for young people. Ruto said 350,000 young Kenyans had benefited from initiatives aimed at creating digital jobs.

On employment abroad, he reported that the government's international job mobility programme had connected 680,000 Kenyans to work opportunities in other countries.

The President also highlighted the Nyota programme, saying more than 700,000 young people were being equipped with skills, while over 120,000 young entrepreneurs had received start-up capital and mentorship to support their businesses.

Ruto Proposes Lower Mobile Phone Taxes

In a separate proposal aimed at making digital work more accessible, Ruto said the government intended to remove the 25 per cent import duty on mobile phones, subject to the required legal procedures and regional customs processes.

The proposal is intended to reduce the cost of mobile phones, which many young people rely on to access online learning, business opportunities and digital employment.

“A mobile phone is no longer a luxury; it is a classroom, a marketplace, a bank, and an office for many young Kenyans — a gateway to employment,” he said.

Lower phone prices, the President argued, would help more Kenyans access the tools needed to participate in the digital economy.

The proposed tax change would require the necessary legal and regional approvals before it could take effect.

Ruto also proposed exempting workers earning Sh32,333 a month or less from Pay As You Earn (PAYE) income tax, a move he said would leave low-income earners with more money to meet their daily needs.

The proposal forms part of the measures announced during the celebrations to improve household incomes and expand economic opportunities.

If implemented, the exemption would reduce the income tax burden on workers within the proposed earnings bracket. However, the measure, like the other proposals announced by the President, is expected to go through the necessary legislative and administrative processes.

The proposed PAYE exemption and mobile phone duty changes add a tax component to the government's broader employment agenda, which also includes internships, digital work, housing construction, business support and overseas recruitment.

The announcements were made during Mashujaa Day, marked every October 20 to recognise Kenyans who fought for independence and those whose work continues to contribute to the country's development.

The national holiday was previously known as Kenyatta Day, commemorating the detention of Jomo Kenyatta and other nationalist leaders by British colonial authorities in 1952.

Following the adoption of the 2010 Constitution, the holiday became Mashujaa Day, widening recognition beyond the independence struggle to include Kenyans who have served the country through education, healthcare, sports, enterprise and other fields.

Ruto said the country should honour the sacrifices made by earlier generations by working towards better livelihoods and expanding opportunities for its people.

“Progress must never become an excuse for complacency. The true measure of leadership is whether we are prepared to do more, where our people continue to demand.”

The planned recruitment of 50,000 additional interns from January 2027 is now part of a wider set of commitments through which the government hopes to address the country's employment challenges.

The success of the plans will depend on their implementation, the funding available and the government's ability to turn its targets into lasting work opportunities for Kenyans, especially young people seeking to enter the labour market.