More than 9,500 young people from Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Nandi, Trans Nzoia, Turkana and West Pokot counties are set to benefit from KSh250 million rolled out under the Nyota Business Start-Up Capital Programme, a government initiative aimed at tackling youth unemployment through enterprise funding and skills development.
The funds were released during the Nyota North Rift Cluster launch in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, officiated by President William Ruto.
Under the programme, each successful applicant received KSh22,000 to support their small businesses, with an additional KSh3,000 deposited into their National Social Security Fund (NSSF) accounts to promote savings. In the North Rift region, about 88,000 youths applied, but only 9,500 were selected in the current phase following a vetting process described as fair, transparent and accountable.
President Ruto emphasised that the Nyota funds are grants, not loans, and will not require repayment. He urged beneficiaries to invest wisely to demonstrate impact and pave the way for expansion of the programme.
“Since you’re our children, and have not gotten employment like others, this is a grant for you from the people of Kenya. The government will be the one to pay, not you. We’ll pay on your behalf,” the President assured.
The President also announced plans to release KSh5 billion nationwide within the next month, targeting 100,000 beneficiaries through two phases of KSh2.5 billion each.
Beyond start-up capital, the Nyota programme places strong focus on skills empowerment, targeting youth who completed primary or secondary school but lack access to vocational training. The government plans to enrol 90,000 young people into structured on-the-job training programmes.
Beneficiaries will be attached to experienced master craftsmen and women for six months to gain hands-on skills. Each trainee will receive a monthly stipend of KSh6,000, while the government will also pay trainers and cover certification costs at the end of the programme.
“We have a lot of young people who’re done with school but are not able to progress to further training, we’re looking for 90,000 of them to train on a craft of their choice. We’ll pay 6,000 monthly to each of them as stipend for 6 months as they are trained.”
The initiative also seeks to expand access to government procurement opportunities by training 600,000 youth, women and persons with disabilities to benefit from the 30 per cent of public tenders reserved for special interest groups.
“We’re looking for 600,000 young people so that we can train, skill and support them to start doing business with the government,” said the President.
Co-operatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya said the Nyota programme has significantly expanded compared to earlier youth initiatives, revealing that over two million young people applied nationwide, with about 100,000 qualifying in the current phase.
“This program was started as Kenya Youth Employment Opportunity Project (KYEOP) back in 2016, and it lasted till 2021. No one knew of its existence then, it only served 17 counties, as opposed to NYOTA that benefits 70 youth per ward, countrywide,” Oparanya noted.
The programme is part of a broader government strategy that includes labour mobility, affordable housing, market and hostel development, and digital jobs, all aimed at reducing unemployment and poverty under the bottom-up economic transformation agenda.
