Ruto defends his presence during NYOTA fund disbursement

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President William Ruto on Thursday defended his administration’s youth empowerment programmes, saying they are designed to uplift young people through enterprise development and not to serve any political agenda.

Speaking in Mandera County, the President said the government had made a deliberate effort to place young people at the centre of economic transformation, noting that they hold the key to the country’s future.

“By bringing young people on board, we harness their energy, talent, and knowledge for the development of our country, for the empowerment of every young person, for the growth of our economy, and for the progress of our nation,” Ruto said.

The President said his decision to personally oversee the disbursement of funds was a demonstration of the importance his administration attaches to the youth.

“I personally came here to see the disbursement of the funds to you because you are important and you matter. Your destiny is important to me, to your parents, and to the nation of Kenya,” he said.

Ruto dismissed claims by the opposition that the initiative was a campaign tool, saying the programme was aimed at providing start-up capital to enable young people to participate meaningfully in the country’s economic growth.

During the event at Mandera Stadium, a total of 2,520 young entrepreneurs drawn from all 30 wards of Mandera County received Sh63 million under the NYOTA Business Start-Up Capital programme.

Each beneficiary received Sh25,000 in the first phase, with Sh22,000 sent directly to the entrepreneur’s Pochi la Biashara mobile money account, while Sh3,000 was deposited into a Haba na Haba savings account managed by NSSF.

In the second phase, beneficiaries will receive an additional Sh25,000, bringing the total start-up capital to Sh50,000 for each entrepreneur.

The Mandera and Wajir disbursements mark the end of phase one of the NYOTA Business Start-Up Capital component. Similar events have been held in Kakamega, Eldoret, Nakuru, Nyeri, Machakos, Meru, Malindi, Mombasa, and Garissa.

Nationally, the programme has benefited more than 120,000 young businesspeople, who have received a total of Sh5 billion under a joint initiative between the government and the World Bank.

Beneficiaries have undergone business skills training and will continue to receive mentorship to ensure their enterprises remain sustainable.

The NYOTA Business Start-Up Capital programme underscores the government’s commitment to bottom-up enterprise development aimed at driving inclusive economic growth.

President Ruto said the NYOTA programme has additional components that will be rolled out nationally.

They include the On-the-Job Experience, where 90,000 young people will be attached to master craftsmen for six months.

“The youth will learn skills that make it easy for them to access business and employment opportunities. They will receive a Sh6,000 monthly stipend, and the cost of assessment and certificates will be paid by the government,” the President said.

Another component is the Recognition of Prior Learning programme, which will involve 20,000 young people who already have skills acquired on the job but lack certification, limiting their access to opportunities.