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President William Ruto hosted thousands of Kenyan youths at State House Nairobi on Saturday, August 9, 2025 where he shared a detailed plan to empower the youth, long with clear timeliness.
In a bold demonstration of his resolve to engage the youth and provide solutions to the challenges that they face, the Head of State opened the gates of State House for the Nairobi County Empowerment Programme.
Under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda and themed “Every Hustle Matter” participants at the event received motorbikes, carwash machines, posho mills, sewing machines, water tanks, and other equipment.
President William Ruto inspecting some of the equipment distributed as part of the Nairobi County Empowerment Programme
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The event was graced by Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja, Woman Representative Esther Passaris and a host of MPs saw the President outline his plans for the youth and some initiatives rolled out by his administration to address unemployment, income insecurity, and limited savings.
NYOTA Programme & the thousands youth will receive
Among the initiatives lined up is the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme that will see 70 youth in every ward receive Sh50,000.
The NYOTA programme is a partnership between the government of Kenya and the World Bank to address unemployment among the youth by providing them with capital to establish businesses.
I have said that, beginning next month, we have agreed with the World Bank that youths in each ward will receive business support. Seventy youths in each ward will receive Sh50,000 to start their businesses.
It won’t be wards in Nairobi alone; it will be in all the wards across the country. That means more than 100,000 youth will receive Sh50,000 each
Hustler fund, its success & criticism
He also noted that Hustler Fund continues to fuel economic empowerment among Kenyans with at least 10,000 people taking loans and repaying on a daily basis.
Kuna wajuaji wengine walienda Serena wamelipwa pesa na NGO fulani. Wanaenda pale wanasema Sh.500, Sh.1,000 haina maana kwa kuwa wanakunywa chai ya Ksh.1,000. Hawajui ya kwamba hiyo pesa inaweza kumsaidia kufanya biashara.
The people who don't know what real Kenya looks like are giving us lectures from air-conditioned offices and posh offices in Nairobi about the hustles of ordinary people. They have no understanding of how real Kenya is.
Responding to mounting criticism by the opposition that iskeen on making him a one-term president and the popular “Wantam” phrase, Ruto noted that he will not be blackmailed by anyone.
Wale majamaa wanajaribu kunitisha na one-term, nawaambia, we will not succumb to the blackmail, threats of one-term, we are committed to transforming our country,
Entertainment & light moments
There were also light-hearted moments during the event as the President took to the dance floor with notable musicians who performed showing him a few popular dance moves.
President William Ruto inspecting some of the equipment distributed as part of the Nairobi County Empowerment Programme
Toxic Lyrikali, Kevin Kioko, popularly known as Bahati, Dyana Cods had their moments on stage with the President and helped him execute a few dance moves to their popular hit songs.
One of the youth who was selected to pray at the start of the event delivered a heartfelt prayer in Shembeteng’ a popular variation of sheng’ that is popular among Kenya’s urban youth.