President William Ruto has called on Kenyan youth to take full advantage of the various programs his administration has introduced to fight unemployment. Speaking in Maragua, Murang’a County, the President emphasized that there are new opportunities that young people should not ignore.
His message came at a time when the National Council for Population and Development has revealed that over 67% of Kenyan youth are unemployed. This group, which forms about 35% of the total population, continues to struggle with limited job options.
To help address this issue, the President announced three major projects that the government is working on to create more employment for the youth. One of these is the Affordable Housing Project, which he said currently has about 150,000 housing units under construction across the country.
According to Ruto, the project is already employing more than 200,000 young people. He encouraged skilled workers such as plumbers, electricians, masons, and carpenters to look for job openings within this program, as it is full of opportunities that can help them earn a decent living.
The President also highlighted the ICT hubs being set up in every ward. These centers, once completed, will offer between 200 and 300 job opportunities each.
He explained that Members of Parliament have the responsibility of completing the construction, after which the Ministry of ICT will bring in trainers and the required equipment to make the hubs operational.
These hubs are not only meant for training and local employment but also for connecting Kenyan youth to digital jobs abroad. Ruto explained that through these digital platforms, young people will be able to work for companies and organizations in countries like the United States, the United Arab Emirates, France, and the United Kingdom without having to leave the country.
Additionally, he mentioned that some youth are being physically deployed to work in other countries under the labour mobility program. He said that the government is partnering with MPs to explore international job markets to save young people from joblessness and keep them away from drugs, especially in areas like Mt Kenya which have been severely affected by drug and alcohol abuse linked to high unemployment.
President Ruto also took the chance to push for support in providing bursaries to children from poor backgrounds. He urged the Controller of Budget to allow county governments to continue offering bursaries without being blocked.
He stressed that both national and county governments should work together to ensure every needy child gets financial support for education. This was in response to Governor Irungu Kang’ata’s concern that his Nyota Zetu bursary program is at risk after the CoB blocked disbursement of funds.
The President reminded leaders that no child belongs to a specific level of government and called on the Council of Governors to cooperate in convincing the CoB of the importance of bursaries.
