Politics is taking the shine off noble Nyota empowerment fund

President William Ruto during the disbursement of Sh220 million to beneficiaries of Nyota business start-up from Siaya, Kisumu and Homa Bay counties at Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium in Kisumu, on February 2, 2026. [PCS]

The government's National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (Nyota) Project, which is funded by the World Bank, is a great idea. There is no doubt about that. There are many young people who become stranded soon after graduation. They have papers that do not generate any income after years of promise that education leads to a steady livelihood in the form of employment, be it self-employed or formal. They are desperate to hold onto any string of hope out of poverty.

There are some criteria for one to qualify for the grant. The catchword there is “vulnerable youth.” One would imagine that millions of young people in Kenya are vulnerable. There are online application guidelines for the four main assessment areas for each applicant. Let me paraphrase the criteria as follows.