By KPC Reporter
President William Ruto has directed Principal Secretaries to spearhead nationwide grassroots leaders’ sensitization forums under the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) project.
The forums will be launched simultaneously in all 47 counties beginning Monday, October 6, 2025, with sessions chaired by Principal Secretaries.
The NYOTA project is part of the government’s broader youth empowerment agenda and is expected to target vulnerable young people “at the bottom of the economic pyramid.”
According to the Ministry of Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development, the sensitization will bring together principal secretaries, elected leaders, national government administrators, and NYOTA project teams in what has been described as a whole-of-government approach to inclusivity and transparency.
“The government is committed to ensuring that young Kenyans are not left behind in the journey of economic transformation,” the ministry said.
“Through NYOTA, we are creating opportunities that speak directly to the realities of youth unemployment and underemployment.”
The sensitization forums are designed to explain how the NYOTA initiative will be rolled out across counties, including access to credit, entrepreneurial training, and pathways to employment.
Stakeholders in the private sector and NGOs are also expected to be roped in to complement government efforts.
The forums come at a time when the country is grappling with high youth unemployment rates, with recent statistics indicating that nearly 40 percent of unemployed Kenyans are between the ages of 18 and 35.
The programme is therefore seen as an attempt to address not just economic challenges, but also social concerns such as crime and substance abuse, often linked to joblessness among the youth.
The sessions are expected to kick off at 9:00 am, with venues set in each county headquarters.
For example in Kisii, the activity will be spearheaded by Broadcasting PS Stephen Isaboke at the Kisii National Polytechnic.