President William Ruto on Friday welcomed 5,500 building and construction graduate interns under the Affordable Housing Programme at State House, Nairobi.
The interns, drawn from fields including architecture, civil, mechanical and electrical engineering, and quantity surveying, will be attached to more than 240 consulting companies under the programme for a one-year period.
Speaking to the interns, President Ruto said the initiative is part of the government’s “deliberate and intentional plan to create jobs and other opportunities to empower the youth.”
“This is a launch pad; it is not a stopgap. And you must know that dreams are free, but hustles are not,” he said, urging the young professionals to seize the opportunity to gain experience and skills to advance their careers.
On the Affordable Housing Programme, President Ruto said the plan had long appeared in political party manifestos but was often overlooked for “short-term political expediency.”
He noted that the government is now implementing it countrywide, with more than 240,000 housing units under construction.
Beyond housing, the President outlined a broader infrastructure vision, saying the government is building 6,000 kilometers of roads.
In the long-term plan to transform Kenya into a first-world economy, projects will include 30,500 kilometres of roads, 2,500 kilometers of dual carriageways, 10,000 megawatts of electricity, 50 mega dams, 200 medium-size dams, and thousands of smaller dams.
“Kenya is finally doing what is right. We are finally taking charge of our own destiny and changing our country for the better,” President Ruto said, adding that the government has signed contracts worth KSh600 billion fully funded by locally raised resources.
He highlighted that 800 local companies and more than 300 consulting firms are involved in the Affordable Housing Programme, with only one foreign firm participating. So far, the programme has created over 500,000 jobs for young people and women, including the 5,500 graduate interns.
“I am very proud that the Affordable Housing Programme is maturing and we have professional workers, companies and consulting firms in the equation,” the President said, praising consulting firms for reducing their professional fee to 2 percent from the usual 8 to 14 percent. He said the government would raise the fee to 3 percent, acknowledging the firms’ impressive work.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki described the internship as one of many government initiatives aimed at expanding youth opportunities. He noted that Kenyans are already experiencing the impact of the Affordable Housing Programme.
Kindiki also warned of consequences for professionals whose decisions endanger lives, particularly in the construction sector.
“There must be consequences for all professionals as well as agencies involved. It must mean something for you to be a professional,” he said.
Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome said the progress of the Affordable Housing Programme has “ashamed the agents of doom,” referring to critics who doubted the initiative would succeed.
The event at State House highlighted the government’s focus on youth empowerment, job creation, and large-scale infrastructure development, underlining its commitment to transforming Kenya’s housing and construction sectors.
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