The government, under the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Fund, has released Ksh220 million in business start-up capital to thousands of young entrepreneurs in Siaya, Kisumu, and Homa Bay counties.
In a statement on Monday, February 2, President William Ruto said the funds were handed over during an event held in Kisumu, where beneficiaries from the three counties gathered to receive the support.
"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," he said.
Ruto argued that Kenya’s youth are no longer driven by ethnic calculations or short-term political mobilisation, noting that their expectations from leadership have changed.
"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 added.
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Ruto further described young Kenyans as an active and ambitious generation that is eager to take up responsibility.
"They are a generation in motion- impatient for opportunity, ready for responsibility, determined to build. That is why we have rolled out a deliberate, nationwide, and structured agenda to unlock opportunity for young people," he further said.
Ruto also urged young people across the country to take advantage of the programmes currently being implemented, saying these initiatives are meant to open both local and international pathways for employment and enterprise.
"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," he concluded.
Elsewhere, nearly half of Kenyans who are aware of the NYOTA Fund say the programme’s eligibility criteria are unfair, while a notable minority believe the funding offered is too small to meaningfully support new businesses.
A new national survey by Infotrak Research shows that 46 per cent of respondents disagree with the NYOTA Fund’s eligibility requirements, which include factors such as age, education level and verification procedures.
Only 44 per cent consider the criteria fair, while the remaining respondents say they are unsure, highlighting widespread uncertainty and dissatisfaction around who qualifies for the programme.
Concerns over eligibility cut across regions and age groups, suggesting that the issue is not isolated to a specific demographic.
The findings indicate that many potential beneficiaries feel excluded despite meeting what they believe to be the programme’s core objectives of supporting unemployed youth and aspiring entrepreneurs.
At the same time, 19 per cent of respondents say the Ksh50,000 startup grant is too small to have real economic impact, arguing that the amount is insufficient to start or sustain a viable business in the current economic environment.
While a majority, 77 per cent, say the grant is adequate to begin small-scale ventures, the dissenting views point to growing pressure from rising costs of goods, rent and licensing fees.
Beyond eligibility and funding concerns, the survey paints a mixed picture of public confidence in the programme overall.
Awareness of the NYOTA Fund is relatively high, standing at 78 per cent nationally, but direct engagement remains limited.
Only 36 per cent of respondents say they or someone close to them has participated in the programme, while more than half report no involvement at all.
Transparency also emerges as a challenge; about 31 per cent of respondents rate the application and selection process as not transparent, compared to 25 per cent who describe it as very transparent.
