President William Ruto has today launched the Nyota Programme in Mumias West, Kakamega County, marking a key milestone in the government’s plan to boost youth and small business empowerment under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
The event, held at the Mumias Sports Complex, comes after a competitive selection and training process for beneficiaries drawn from across the country. Thousands of young entrepreneurs are expected to receive start-up grants of up to KSh50,000 in the first phase to help them start or expand their ventures.
According to MSMEs Principal Secretary Susan Mang’eni, all beneficiaries have undergone financial literacy and entrepreneurship training ahead of disbursement. “The training will be followed by a four-month mentorship program linking them to local business ecosystems,” she said.
Mang’eni noted that agencies such as the Youth Enterprise Development Fund, Uwezo Fund, Kenya Industrial Estates, and the Kenya Jobs and Economic Transformation Project (KJET) will support the mentorship phase to ensure sustainability. Beneficiaries will initially receive KSh25,000 as the first instalment.
Shinyalu MP Fred Ikana praised the initiative, revealing that at least 70 beneficiaries from each ward in Shinyalu Constituency have been selected. “Following a rigorous process, the first cohort will now receive grants to grow their businesses,” he said.
The Nyota Programme is a flagship project targeting 100,000 youth nationwide in its initial rollout, backed by a KSh5 billion government grant. Over the next five years, President Ruto said the programme will reach over 5 million Kenyans, with support from the World Bank.
Nyota focuses on improving youth employability, expanding job opportunities, promoting savings, and strengthening employment systems. Eligible applicants are youth aged 18–29, or up to 35 for persons with disabilities, who have completed Form 4 or below and are unemployed or under-employed.
Applications can be made digitally through the mobile platform *254#, simplifying access and reducing barriers for applicants.
