Young people now have many job opportunities - President Ruto

Speaking on Friday during the disbursement of Ksh.147 million NYOTA Business Start-Up Capital to 5,880 young entrepreneurs from Coastal counties at Jomo Kenyatta Showground in Mombasa, 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.

He cited that 500,000 youths are working in the housing sector at 240 construction sites across the country.

He added that the government has streamlined the Labour Mobility Programme to provide opportunities for young people to work abroad. 

"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 the Youth Enterprise Development Fund funds those who may want financial support.

"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 through the establishment of digital hubs and Jitume labs at technical colleges across the country, and through 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.

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, President Ruto noted that 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 the movement of people, goods and services,” he noted.

The President indicated that 14,000 affordable housing units are under construction in Mombasa County.

Additionally, the President said Ksh.1 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.

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.