President William Ruto has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to placing young people at the centre of Kenya’s development agenda, saying youth empowerment is critical to the country’s long-term economic transformation.
Speaking in Nyeri County, the President said the government is deliberately investing in programmes that tap into the energy, skills and innovation of young people to drive national growth now and in the future.
“We must place young people at the centre of our national agenda if we are to tap into their energy, skills, knowledge and expertise to drive our national transformation,” Ruto said.
He cited the Affordable Housing Programme, overseas job placements, digital jobs and the NYOTA initiative as key interventions aimed at creating sustainable opportunities for the youth.
According to the President, the NYOTA programme targets 820,000 young people across four pillars—business support, recognition of prior learning, training and mentorship, and savings—designed to promote enterprise and self-reliance.
Ruto was speaking at Kabiru-ini ASK Grounds in Nyeri, where he launched the disbursement of Sh173.2 million in NYOTA business start-up capital to 6,982 young entrepreneurs drawn from Nyeri, Murang’a, Nyandarua and Kirinyaga counties.
He said the initiative is intended to provide young people with practical pathways to employment, entrepreneurship and economic independence.
