Gov't Disburses Ksh220 Million NYOTA Funds to 8,820 Youth in Nyanza Counties

President Ruto During NYOTA fund disbursement in Kisumu

The government has disbursed Ksh220 million in business start-up capital to young entrepreneurs in Siaya, Kisumu and Homa Bay counties under the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Fund.

In a statement on Monday, February 2, President William Ruto said the funds were released during a ceremony held in Kisumu, bringing together beneficiaries from the three counties.

“Presided over the disbursement of Ksh220 million NYOTA business start-up capital to 8,820 beneficiaries from Siaya, Kisumu and Homa Bay counties at Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium, Kisumu County,” Ruto said.

The President noted that Kenya’s youth are increasingly moving away from ethnic politics and short-term political mobilisation, arguing that their expectations from leadership have shifted.

“Kenya’s young people have outgrown the tired mathematics of tribe and the small thinking of yesterday’s politics. They refuse to be reduced to numbers on a ballot sheet, activated during campaigns and abandoned thereafter,” he said.

Ruto further described young people as ambitious and ready to take on responsibility, saying the government had rolled out a structured national agenda aimed at unlocking opportunities for them.

“They are a generation in motion, impatient for opportunity, ready for responsibility and determined to build. That is why we have rolled out a deliberate, nationwide and structured agenda to unlock opportunity for young people,” he added.

He also urged youth across the country to take advantage of ongoing government programmes, saying the initiatives are designed to create employment and enterprise opportunities both locally and abroad.

“We are calling on the youth of Kenya to step forward and claim the openings being created through programmes such as NYOTA, the expansion of digital jobs, affordable housing projects and bilateral labour agreements that are opening doors beyond our borders,” Ruto said.

Meanwhile, a new national survey by Infotrak Research shows growing public concern over the NYOTA Fund’s eligibility criteria and funding levels.

According to the survey, 46 per cent of respondents disagree with the programme’s eligibility requirements, which include age limits, education qualifications and verification processes. Only 44 per cent consider the criteria fair, while the rest remain unsure.

The concerns cut across regions and age groups, suggesting widespread dissatisfaction among potential beneficiaries who feel excluded despite meeting what they believe to be the programme’s core objectives.

The survey also found that 19 per cent of respondents believe the Ksh50,000 start-up grant is too small to support a viable business, citing rising costs of goods, rent and licensing fees. However, 77 per cent say the amount is adequate for starting small-scale ventures.

Although awareness of the NYOTA Fund stands at 78 per cent nationally, engagement remains relatively low. Only 36 per cent of respondents say they or someone close to them has participated in the programme.

Transparency was also flagged as a concern, with 31 per cent of respondents rating the application and selection process as not transparent, compared to 25 per cent who described it as very transparent.