By KPC Reporter
Amid swirling claims and counterclaims, the NYOTA Project has sparked debate across sectors. While supporters hail its achievements, critics point to inconsistencies and unanswered questions. Here, we sift through the facts and the lies to give a clearer picture of what’s really happening.
-Kisii Press Club
President William Ruto has in recent weeks been travelling across the country to oversee the release of millions of shillings to young people under the National Youth Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Project.
Late last month, the President was in Kisii, where more than 8,000 young entrepreneurs drawn from Kisii, Nyamira and Migori counties shared KSh220.5 million in start-up funding.
Under the programme’s first phase, each beneficiary receives KSh25,000. Of this amount, KSh22,000 is channelled directly to a Pochi la Biashara account strictly for business purposes, while KSh3,000 is placed into a Haba na Haba savings account administered by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF).
A second phase will see beneficiaries receive an additional KSh25,000, raising the total support per entrepreneur to KSh50,000.
Questions have been raised in some quarters about the source of the funds and when they were budgeted for, given the government’s strong ownership of the programme.
However, available information indicates that NYOTA is largely financed by the World Bank, which committed US$229 million to the initiative.
Details published on projects.worldbank.org show that the funding was disclosed in January 2023 and approved in June the same year as an expansion of the earlier Kenya Youth Employment and Opportunities Program (KYEOP).
The project is scheduled to run until 2028 and is being implemented in all 47 counties.
NYOTA targets unemployed and vulnerable youth aged between 18 and 29 years, with the age limit extended to 35 years for youth with disabilities registered with the National Council for Persons with Disabilities.
According to the World Bank, the programme specifically focuses on young people with no education beyond secondary school, a group that is often excluded from formal economic opportunities.
To qualify, applicants must be Kenyan citizens, have completed no more than Form Four, possess a National Identity Card and own a SIM card registered in their name.
Special attention is given to youth in rural and hard-to-reach areas, Vulnerable and Marginalised Groups, young mothers, persons with disabilities, internally displaced persons, youth living with HIV/AIDS, minority communities and other disadvantaged groups.
Registration for NYOTA is conducted entirely through mobile phone technology. Interested applicants dial *254# and follow the prompts to enroll in the programme.
According to information published on the official NYOTA website, the project aims to enhance youth employability, broaden economic opportunities and promote a culture of saving.
Those who encounter challenges with the digital registration process are advised to seek assistance from County or Sub-County offices of the State Department for Youth Affairs and Creative Economy, or from nearby Micro and Small Enterprise Authority offices.
The same platform is also used to register youth for the On-the-Job Experience Training component. President Ruto encouraged young people to take advantage of this opportunity when he addressed them at Gusii Stadium on Thursday.
Beyond cash support, NYOTA is designed as a comprehensive intervention that tackles multiple barriers to youth employment.
It exposes participants to wage employment opportunities such as apprenticeships, certification, digital skills training and structured on-the-job experience.
According to the government, the programme targets placing 90,000 youth into employment or enterprise by equipping them with relevant skills and linking them to work opportunities or self-employment.
For those pursuing entrepreneurship, funding is tied to mandatory training. Beneficiaries must complete a four-day business skills course covering entrepreneurship, financial management and business growth before receiving start-up capital.
This requirement applied to the latest group funded in Kisii last month.
The project also seeks to strengthen financial resilience among young people, with women expected to make up at least half of the savings beneficiaries.
In addition, NYOTA invests in building national and county systems to sustainably support youth employment and savings, while reducing risks such as elite capture, biased selection and exclusion.
Although the programme is often rolled out in the presence of political leaders, including governors, it is intended to be a nationwide economic empowerment initiative.
Overall, NYOTA is projected to benefit about 820,000 young people across all 47 counties by combining skills development, start-up capital, savings and mentorship.
Still, the political overtones surrounding its rollout have made it difficult for many Kenyans to clearly separate economic empowerment from politics.
Meanwhile, recent coverage highlights controversy over the NYOTA youth empowerment programme.
About Sh1 billion has been spent on administration and consultancy costs instead of direct youth support according to Business Daily reporting.
Criticism has also framed NYOTA as “debt-funded theatre, not hope for youth,” questioning its effectiveness and impact on unemployment.
Former Chief Justice David Maraga says “Kenya’s youth are being sold hope in instalments: small, symbolic payments wrapped in grand language, while the country bleeds billions through corruption, incompetence, and outright wastage.”
He avers that stripped of spin, NYOTA exposes the intellectual and moral bankruptcy of a government that has run out of ideas and credibility.
“NYOTA is debt-funded theatre, not hope for youth,” wrote former Chief Justice David Maraga in an article carried by Daily Nation, criticising the youth empowerment initiative’s sustainability and impact.