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President William Ruto has found himself in the eye of the storm following last week’s Nairobi County Empowerment Programme which he hosted at State House Nairobi alongside Governor Johnson Sakaja and several leaders.
Ruto opened the gates of State House to thousands of youth last Saturday for what was described as an initiative to empower Nairobi’s youth.
Motorbikes, carwash machines, posho mills, sewing machines, water tanks, and other equipment which were to be issued to the participants were displayed.
Reports of underhand dealings, threats and intimidation have surfaced with youth who attended the event claiming that they never received the items that were paraded before the media at State House.
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What happened? Disappointed youth share their truth
They claim that they were duped to attend the event with fake promises and their photos were taken with the goodies which they never received after which they were asked to leave.
President William Ruto inspecting some of the equipment distributed as part of the Nairobi County Empowerment Programme
Dickens Kamau Odhiambo, known as Kamau wa Kisumu who is among those who attended the event and was indeed pictured with a motorbike shared his frustrations.
Seneta Karen Nyamu ndiye alituweka kwenye orodha… Tulifika huko saa 10 alfajiri, tukapewa mchele na minced meat. Nikaambiwa nitoke nje ya Gate D. Hapo nikakutana na walinzi wa GSU wakaniambia nimeshatoa taarifa zangu, niende nyumbani.
He recounted being chased when he asked more questions on how the promised motorbike would reach him.
Threats, intimidation & ultimatum
In the wake of his bold confession, he claimed that he has been receiving threats with an ultimatum that he should record a video claiming that he received a motorbike of stating that he is not among those who went to State House.
READ: Highlights of empowerment programme in which Ruto unlocked millions for the youth
Wananipigia hata kwa private number, wananambia mambo ni mawili—nirekodi video niseme nilipata pikipiki, au niseme sikuenda Ikulu. Nimekataa.
His claims were corroborated by another victim of the scheme, Collins Otwala who walked away empty handed.
Youth who attended the Nairobi County Empowerment Program at State House Nairobi
We were 50 but only 10 of us were selected and proposed to receive media equipment. We were asked to go home with nothing after the event and even those who were promised motorbikes did not get hence our decision to speak out.
Where are the goodies paraded at State House?
The disgruntled youth backed their claims by challenging anyone who was given any of the items paraded at the event to come out, asserting that the whole affair was an elaborate political scheme in which they were duped.
As it stands, none of the youth pictured at State House has confirmed receiving the equipment with organisers of the event giving their version of what really happened.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi explained that the delay in handing over the items is due to formalization of ownership.
Singer Bahati on stage with President William Ruto and other guests on Saturday, August 9
According to State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed, ''a total of 1,100 registered groups from Nairobi submitted proposals for their empowerment programmes or projects, all approved, all funded, all received. Each group had 10 members with a chairperson who delivered the projects for an orderly process. That’s 11,000 people in total.''
On her part, Senator Karen Nyamu who was extensively involved downplayed the concerns claiming that those complaining are lying and may have been paid to discredit empowerment programs.
She added that those complaining are only one or two out of ten thousand youth who turned up for the event.