The government will on Monday roll out nationwide grassroots leaders' sensitisation forums for the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) project in all 47 counties.
The move follows a directive by President William Ruto, who ordered all Principal Secretaries to spearhead the youth initiative.
According to the Ministry of Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development, the forums are part of a Whole-of-Government approach designed to ensure inclusivity and transparency in implementing the NYOTA programme—a transformative job creation initiative targeting vulnerable youth at the bottom of the economic pyramid.
The sensitisation forums will be held simultaneously across all counties, starting at 9 am, with each session chaired by a Principal Secretary.
The meetings are expected to bring together elected leaders, National Government Administration Officers (NGAO), and members of the NYOTA Project Team.
In Mombasa County, the forum will take place at the Ronald Ngala Social Hall in Mvita, chaired by Principal Secretary Mohamed A. Daghar, while in Kwale, PS Abdulrazak Shaukat will preside over the session at the Kwale Culture Centre.
Kilifi County’s meeting will be held at the ACK St. Thomas Hall, led by PS Fikirini Kahindi Jacobs, and in Tana River, Dr. Idris Salim Dokota will chair the event at Hola Primary School Hall.
Similar sessions will be held across the country, including at the Lamu County Command Centre Hall and the Lodwar Vocational and Training Centre in Turkana, where PS Susan Mang’eni will lead discussions.
The Nyota initiative, implemented in partnership with the World Bank, will provide Sh50,000 grants to 70 young people in each of Kenya’s 1,450 wards, enabling them to start small businesses.
Ahead of the rollout, Principal Secretaries will travel to all 47 counties on October 6 to meet governors, MPs, MCAs, and local leaders to ensure the programme is well understood and implemented smoothly.
President Ruto emphasised that involving leaders from the national and county governments, as well as legislators, would promote fairness and transparency.
“Every young person deserves a fair chance. By engaging leaders at every level, we are ensuring that this process is transparent and that no one is left behind,” he said.