Young people now have many employment and job opportunities for employment courtesy of the various programmes and policies the government is implementing, President William Ruto has said.
The President urged young people to take advantage of the opportunities in the Affordable Housing Programme, construction of modern markets, institutional housing, and student hostels.
Already, 500,000 young people are working in this sector at 240 construction sites across the country, he said.
He also cited the Labour Mobility Programme that is providing opportunities for young people to work abroad, saying the process has been streamlined.
“In the past three years, 530,000 young people have found work abroad through the government’s National Employment Authority portal,” President Ruto explained.
He pointed out that travel documents for those recruited to work abroad are fast-tracked and those who may want financial support are funded by the Youth Enterprise Development Fund.
“When they start working abroad, they are required to repay the funds advanced to them in three months,” the President noted.
In the digital space, he explained, more than 180,000 young people have found work due to the establishment of digital hubs and Jitume labs at technical colleges across the country, and Business Process Outsourcing in various centres.
In education, 100,000 teachers and 3,300 college tutors have been hired in the past three years.
President Ruto explained that the government has adopted a deliberate and intentional job creation approach anchored in real opportunities for the youth across sectors.
He pointed out that the government is no longer talking about jobs in vague terms, pointing out that it is delivering real opportunities that young people are accessing.
“For the first time in the history of Kenya, the government has a deliberate, intentional and practical plan of creating jobs and other opportunities for Kenyans,” he said.
The President was speaking on Friday during the disbursement of KSh147 million NYOTA Business Start-Up Capital to 5,880 young entrepreneurs from Mombasa, Kwale, and Taita-Taveta counties at Jomo Kenyatta Showground in Mombasa.
Present were Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, Cabinet Secretaries Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives and MSMEs), Salim Mvurya (Sports and Youth Affairs), Alice Wahome (Lands, Housing, Urban Development and Public Works) and Hassan Joho (Mining and Blue Economy).
Others were Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, Governors Abdulswamad Nassir (Mombasa), Fatuma Achani (Kwale), Andrew Mwadime (Taita Taveta), and Gideon Mung’aro (Kilifi), and MPs, among other leaders.
The disbursement of the grants followed the successful completion of a mandatory four-day business skills training for the beneficiaries of the NYOTA Business Capital Support, which equips young entrepreneurs with practical skills to start and grow businesses.
Next week, the beneficiaries of the remaining three North-Eastern counties of Mandera, Wajir, and Garissa will be covered, completing the disbursement of business grants, which is the first component of NYOTA.
The President challenged opposition leaders to explain their agenda for the youth and stop relying on outdated political tactics.
He urged young people not to allow the politicians to use them for violent political activities, saying they should take advantage of the variety of opportunities the government is providing.
“Their only agenda is to remove William Ruto from power. They have no other agenda, including for the youth,” he said.
On road construction, he said the government is building over 6,000km across the country. In the plan to move Kenya to a first-world economy, plans are in place to build an additional 30,500km, including 2,500km of dual carriageways.
“This is a deliberate public infrastructure programme that will create jobs and ease movement of people, goods and services,” he said.
The President said 14,000 affordable housing units are under construction in Mombasa County.
Additionally, the President said KSh1 billion will be invested in building a stadium in Mombasa.
He also explained that the government will work with the County Government of Mombasa to establish a cancer centre in the county.
Deputy President Kindiki said the government has demonstrated commitment to addressing youth unemployment.
He pointed out that President Ruto is keen on empowering young people unlike his competitors, who only seek to use them to advance their political agenda.
Governor Mwadime said the NYOTA programme will be instrumental in empowering the youth to uplift their lives and become job creators.
Governor Nassir said the ODM party and the Kenya Kwanza ruling coalition are united by a shared interest in transforming the country.
“Our stand is that we need a Kenya that is all-inclusive,” he said.
Governor Achani urged young people to take full advantage of government programmes designed to uplift them.
She encouraged beneficiaries of NYOTA to seek additional financing through the Biashara Fund and to tap into government procurement under the Access to Government Procurement Opportunities programme.
