Ruto Puts Youth at the Centre of Kenya’s Economic Transformation
Politics Updated: 12 January 2026 13:17 EAT
President William Samoei Ruto interacts with beneficiaries of NYOTA funds at Kabiru-ini ASK Grounds, Nyeri.
President William Samoei Ruto has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to placing young people at the heart of Kenya’s national development agenda, saying their energy, skills, knowledge and expertise are critical to driving transformation both now and in the future.
The President said Kenya’s demographic reality demands deliberate policies that empower the youth, noting that sustainable economic growth cannot be achieved without actively involving young people in productive and income-generating activities.
He explained that the government has taken concrete steps to ensure young people are not passive observers but active participants in the country’s transformation journey, particularly in enterprise, skills development and job creation.
Among the flagship interventions highlighted by the President are the Affordable Housing Programme, overseas employment opportunities, the expansion of digital jobs, and the NYOTA initiative, all designed to create clear and practical pathways to opportunity for young Kenyans.
President Ruto emphasized that these programmes are structured to respond to the real challenges facing the youth, including unemployment, limited access to capital, and lack of formal recognition for skills acquired outside traditional education systems.
Central to the youth agenda is the NYOTA programme, a national initiative targeting 820,000 young people across the country, with a focus on equipping them for entrepreneurship and decent work.
The programme is anchored on four key pillars: business support, recognition of prior learning, training and mentorship, and the promotion of a savings culture among young entrepreneurs.
Through the business support pillar, beneficiaries receive start-up capital and technical assistance to help them establish and grow sustainable enterprises at the grassroots level.
The recognition of prior learning component seeks to formally certify skills acquired informally, enabling young people to access better employment and business opportunities.
Training and mentorship under NYOTA are designed to strengthen practical skills, business management capacity and resilience among youth-led enterprises.
The savings pillar aims to instill financial discipline and long-term planning, ensuring that young entrepreneurs are better prepared to withstand economic shocks and scale their ventures.
In line with these objectives, President Ruto on Monday launched the disbursement of KSh173.2 million in NYOTA business start-up capital to 6,982 young entrepreneurs from Nyeri, Murang’a, Nyandarua and Kirinyaga counties.
The event, held at Kabiru-ini ASK Grounds in Nyeri, marked a significant milestone in the government’s youth empowerment drive, underscoring its pledge to translate policy commitments into tangible support for young Kenyans across the country.
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FELIX MAKONA
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