President William Ruto has rolled out yet another programme for hustlers, this time offering cash boosts of up to Sh50,000 for select businesses in all counties.
The initiative, targeting 70 small-scale enterprises in each of the country’s 1,450 wards, is designed to help the startups expand operations and increase stock.
The plan targets to impact more than101,500 individuals at the grassroots in what will see the government spend over Sh5 billion.
Dubbed National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (Nyota), the initiative mirrors Ruto’s 2022 campaign tactic that he used to rally poor households to back his presidential bid.
At the time, Ruto gave out millions of shillings in cash and equipment to Mama Mbogas and boda boda riders as symbols of his bottom-up economic model, which he vowed would change their fortunes if elected President.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, who is spearheading the initiative, presided over a disbursement event in Kisii yesterday, before presiding over a similar one in Kiambu, where small-scale traders and Saccos received the cash.
The government describes the fund as a lifeline for startups and micro-enterprises—barber shops, salons, welders and carpenters—operating at the ward level.
The stated goal is to stimulate growth, create jobs and cushion businesses against economic pressures.
“If you had one employee in a salon or barbershop, this capital injection will enable you to employ two or more youths,” Kindiki said. “The ripple effect will be massive. This is a government-funded venture and disbursements begin this month.”
"We are engaging small-scale traders right now to boost their businesses as opposed to waiting for the electioneering period to offer them freebies in exchange for their support," the DP said.
However, the timing of the programme, which targets vulnerable youth nationwide, has elicited mixed reactions.
Ruto faces mounting discontent from jobless youths and Gen Zs, whose protests have rattled his administration.
Additionally, his crucial Mt Kenya support base appears to be slipping, with influential leaders questioning his economic strategies.
The critical Mt Kenya voting bloc seems to have left the fold, presenting the need for a change in strategy.
So far, the DP has launched Nyota in Olkalou, Limuru, Gatundu North, Kipipiri, Mwea, Kirinyaga Central, Kiambu town, Naivasha, Kigumo, Imenti North, Gatundu South, Lari and South Mugirango.
The government says the aim of the programme, whose disbursements began this month, is to help small businesses grow and in return, create employment for more youths.
A parallel event in Mathira was led by area MP Eric Wamumbi and attended by allies such as Kapseret’s Oscar Sudi.
The new strategy has been incorporated alongside a flurry of development initiatives aimed at winning over the restless electorate.
In recent weeks, the DP has traversed multiple counties, presiding over fundraisers worth millions of shillings and inspecting key infrastructure projects.
“The government is empowering our citizens who are in the lower income bracket to accelerate their economic transformation,” he said in Gatundu recently.
Another key figure in the events is Ruto’s aide Farouk Kibet, giving the events a huge political connotation.
However, the programme has drawn sharp criticism, especially from allies of the impeached DP Rigathi Gachagua.
Yesterday, Embakasi Central MP Benjamin Gathiru was blunt, calling it a “panic-driven gimmick.”
“The ground has shifted. No amount of money can save their sinking ship,” he said.
Kipipiri MP Wanjiku Muhia termed initiative "a new trick to enter Mt Kenya."
"Its very unfortunate. We should give our people a good working healthcare system, make our roads, make education affordable, among others. The so called youth empowerment is just a new trick to enter Mt Kenya where its our work to mobilize people to go and eat the money so that we do not miss the roads and miss the money. The heavy taxes paid by Kenyans are now used for handouts, a bad system that has no future.”
Recently, Gachagua also raised concerns, questioning why the programme is concentrated in Mt Kenya and why the government isn’t pursuing sustainable solutions.
Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara dismissed it as a thinly veiled campaign tactic. “This isn’t empowerment—it is pacification using public funds while critical sectors suffer,” she said.
But Kindiki has defended the programme against claims of political opportunism, saying it lay squarely on the plan Kenya Kwanza administration had for hustlers.
“We have many small businesses that need support. During the 2022 campaigns, we promised to uplift hustlers—not just during elections, but consistently,” he said.
“Some leaders only remember small traders when they need votes. We are different. We are helping now so that when campaigns come, we won’t need to bribe anyone,” the DP added.
He dismissed critics, insisting the initiative is purely developmental and would be of immense gain to the beneficiaries and their communities.
“The government serves all Kenyans, regardless of how they voted. President Ruto is focused on delivering his promises, not petty politics.”
The President’s allies insist the initiative aligns with the administration’s hustler initiatives, and is not a campaign strategy as purported.
South Mugirango MP Sylvanus Osoro, who hosted Kindiki for the empowerment programme in his backyard said; “This will make a real difference. Those receiving the funds will see tangible growth.”
Yet, scepticism remains, especially with the dismal performance of the Hustler Fund, Ruto’s flagship financial inclusion programme, which has been plagued by low repayment rates and minimal savings uptake.
With the 2027 elections looming and public frustration growing, critics see the Nyota plan as a desperate bid to regain lost ground.
Some observers argue that sporadic cash injections cannot substitute for systemic reforms in job creation, education and enterprise support.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
As the Nyota funds trickle down to wards, their impact, or lack thereof, will either shore up Ruto’s legacy or confirm the growing belief that his administration is long on promises and short on sustainable solutions. For now, the race to appease restless citizens and secure a legacy continues, with Sh5 billion as the latest wager.
Comments 0
Sign in to join the conversation
Sign In Create AccountNo comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!