President William Ruto has dispatched all his Principal Secretaries (PSs) to their home counties rollout of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (Nyota) programme.
At least each PS will be in their background this morning to formally launch the Sh5 billion initiative aimed at supporting 100,000 young people with start-up capital, training, and mentorship.
The PSs will be presiding over the launch of the exercise, in which elected leaders and national government officers have been invited from 9 am this morning.
Transport PS Mohamed Daghar will be at Ronald Ngala Social in Mvita, Mombasa County, while Research colleague Prof Abdulrazak Shaukat will officiate the program at Kwale cultural centre.
Youth PS Fikirini Jacobs will be at St Thomas Hall, Kilifi, while PS Cabinet Affairs Idris Dakota will be at Hola Primary School, Tana River County.
“This is in line with a Whole-of-Government Approach to ensure inclusivity and transparency in the rollout of this very transformative job creation initiative, targeting vulnerable Kenyan youths at the bottom of the economic pyramid,” the Ministry of Cooperatives and Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Development said in a statement.
PS Abubakar Hassan (Trade Investments) will be at Lamu County Commander Centre, Shadrack Mwadime (Labour) at CDH Mwatate Hall, Taita Taveta, Aden Abdi Milah (Maritme) at Garissa University Amphitheatre and Umi Mohamed Bashir (Culture) at ICT Hall, Wajir town.
Ahmed Abdisalan (Coordination) and Ismael Maalim Madey (Youth Affairs) will be at Mandera’s Governor’s Hall, Harsama Kello (Semi Arid) in Marsabit’s ACK Hall and Mohamed Liban (Petroleum) at Isiolo Catholic Social Hall.
Patrick Kilemi (Cooperatives), Gitonga Mugambi (Forestry) and Roselyn Njogu (Diaspora Affairs) will be at Kamundi Hall, Meru town, while Betsy Njagi will be at Chuka University in Tharaka Nithi, Esther Muoria (TIVET) at Talent Academy Embu, Jonathan Mueke (Livestock) at JICA Hall Kitui, Sylivia Museiya (Wildlife) will be at Machakos Social Hall and Teresia Mbaika (Devolution) at Wote TTI Hall, Makueni.
Joseph Mbugua (Transport) will be at Olkalau CDF Hall, Nyandarua, while his three colleagues, Alex Wachira (Energy), Anne Wangombe and Carolyne Karugu (EAC) will be at Nyeri National Polytechnic Hall.
Mary Muthoni (Public Health) will be at Kirinyaga Girls Hall, Elijah Mwangi (Sports) at Mothers Union Hall in Muranga, Salome Muhia (Correctional Services) at KINAP Kiambu, Samson Wangusi (PAS-OP) and Jacob Namuleni in Lodwar Vocational Training Centre, Turkana.
Joel Arumonyang (Public Works) will be at Mtello Hall, Kapenguria, West Pokot, Michael Lenasolon (Deolution) in Maralal Vocation Training Centre, Samburu, while Korir Singoei (Foreign Affairs) and Harry Kimtai (Agriculture) will be at Kitale National Polytechnic, Trans Nzioa.
Education PS Prof Julius Bitok and his MSME counterpart Susan Mangeni will be at Usain Gishu County Multipurpose Hall, Treasury’s Chris Kiptoo at KMTC Iten and Immigration PS Belio Kipsang in Kipchoge Keino Stadium, Nandi County.
ICT PS John Tanui will be at KSG Baringo, Defence PS Patrick Mariru at Laikipia East CDF Hall in Nanyuki, Laikipia County, while Housing PS Charles Hinga and his Environment colleague Festus Ngeno will be at Nakuru Youth Polytechnic.
Tourism PS John Ololtuaa, Water’s Julius Korir and Justice Department PS Judith Pareno will be at Narok Youth Empowerment Centre, while Irrigation PS Ephantus Kimani will be at Maasai Technical Training Institute (MTTI), Kajiado.
Parliamentary Affairs PS Aurelia Rono will be at St. Bhakita Hall, Bomet County, Higher Education’s Beatrice Inyangala at Magharibi Hall, Kakamega, Public Service PS Jane Imbunya at DIDC Hall, Vihiga and Industry PS Juma Mukhwana at Red Cross Hall, Bungoma.
Planning PS Bonface Makhoha at County Commissioner’s Conference Hall in Busia, Medical Services PS Ouma Oluga at IEBC Hall in Siaya, while two PSs, Regina Ombam (Trade) and Caren Angengo (Children Services) will be in Tom Mboya Labour College, Kisumu.
Interior PS Raymond Omollo will be at DICECE Hall in Homabay, while Cyrell Odede (Investment) and Joseph Motari (Social Protection) will be at Migori Teachers Training Centre.
ICT PS Stephen Isaboke will be at Kisii National Polytechnic, Solicitor General Shadrack Mose at West Mugirango NG-CDF Hall in Nyamira, as Lands PS Nixon Korir presides over Nairobi event at Kariakor Social Hall.
The programme, unveiled in August during the International Youth Day celebrations in Kakamega County, had been scheduled to start in September.
On Friday, after convening a high-level meeting with Principal Secretaries at State House, Nairobi, Ruto confirmed that the long-promised scheme would now begin.
“We are investing in our youth, unlocking opportunities, and driving enterprise and innovation across Kenya. This programme has taken time to align properly, but it is now ready to go,” Ruto said.
Launched in partnership with the World Bank, the fund will provide Sh50,000 grants to 70 youth in each of the country’s 1,450 wards, enabling them to start business ventures.
by GEOFFREY MOSOKU
