President William Ruto on Monday said his administration had taken “time and personal attention” to design the NYOTA programme to ensure it is transparent, accountable and inclusive, as he disbursed KSh63 million in start-up capital to youth in Garissa County.
Speaking at Garissa High School grounds, Ruto said the initiative is aimed at expanding economic opportunities for young people across the country and tapping into their creativity and skills to drive national transformation.
“We took time, and personal attention, to design the NYOTA programme, making it transparent, accountable, impactful and fully inclusive,” he said.
The President announced that 2,520 young businesspeople, including refugees, had benefited from the latest disbursement. He said the inclusion of refugees in the programme underscores the government’s commitment to equal opportunity and social integration.
“Our goal is to ensure that we provide equal economic opportunities to all young people, and optimally harness their energy, creativity and skills for the transformation of our country,” Ruto said.
The KSh63 million disbursement forms part of the government’s broader youth empowerment strategy, which seeks to tackle unemployment by supporting start-ups and small enterprises with seed capital.
Ruto said empowering youth-owned businesses would not only create jobs but also stimulate local economies, particularly in marginalised regions such as North Eastern Kenya.
Garissa leaders who attended the event welcomed the funding, saying it would boost entrepreneurship among young people who have struggled with limited access to capital.
The NYOTA programme is one of several initiatives rolled out by the Kenya Kwanza administration targeting youth employment and economic inclusion, amid growing pressure to address high joblessness among young Kenyans.
