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Ruto to youth: Ignore Opposition, I have a plan for you
President William Ruto addresses a crowd at Mumias sports complex stadium in Kakamega county on November 7, 2025.
President William Ruto has lashed out at a section of opposition leaders who he said were inciting young people to oppose government programmes.
President Ruto appealed to the youth not to allow themselves to be manipulated for political purposes.
“When they tell you to vote for them, ask them to explain how you will benefit under their leadership. When they push you to go to the streets, ask them how you will benefit from the demonstrations,” President Ruto said while rolling out the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (Nyota) programme in Mumias, Kakamega County, on Friday.
The event drew a massive attendance, with thousands gathering to witness the unveiling of the youth empowerment initiative.
A total of 12,155 youth aged between 19 and 29 from the four counties of the Western region received Sh22,000 each as trading capital from the government.
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The President said the Nyota project had prioritised inclusivity by extending support to persons with disabilities up to the age of 35.
Nyota is a flagship component of the Kenya Kwanza government’s agenda that integrates entrepreneurship support, employment facilitation, and financial inclusion, positioning young people as key drivers of socio-economic transformation.
Dr Ruto praised the Nyota project, saying he redesigned it from the Kenya Youth Employment and Opportunities Project (Keyop) programme to represent a paradigm shift towards sustainable empowerment.
“When I assumed leadership of this government, I realised there was a programme meant to empower young Kenyans, but it was operating in only 17 counties and was not well structured. I reached out to the World Bank and requested that they allow us to redesign it to reach more Kenyans. That is how we changed Keyop to Nyota, which has now reached youth across the country,” he said.
The President said a total of Sh267 million had been disbursed to youth through the Nyota empowerment initiative.
“It is meant to strengthen and promote a saving culture among young Kenyans so that they don’t easily fall prey to politicians who promise them handouts,” he added.
The President said the project was entering its tail-end stage and would be completed in the next 10 days after 110,000 youth had received their first tranche of Sh22,000 each through the Nyota programme.
“Sh3,000 has been deducted and put under your savings,” he told the beneficiaries.
He said an additional 60,000 young people, including persons with disabilities and single mothers, would be trained to access government opportunities from both county and national governments.
Another group of 190,000 will be trained in savings, he said.
Ruto added: “We shall top up the money saved by the youth under the Nyota programme by half of their total savings to ensure that our youth have enough money to turn around their fortunes. I will be the happiest person when I see Kenyan youth growing their businesses and employing their peers.”
Governors from the four counties of the Western region, including Dr Wilbur Ottichilo (Vihiga), Paul Otuoma (Busia), Kenneth Lusaka (Bungoma), and Ayub Savula (Deputy Governor, Kakamega), promised to give youth under the Nyota a two-year tax holiday to help them establish their businesses before paying taxes.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and several MPs from the region accompanied the President.
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