Ruto Orders Full Transparency in Nyota Fund Amid Corruption Allegations
President William Ruto has ordered full transparency in the implementation of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Fund, dismissing claims of corruption, bribery, and favouritism surrounding the programme and insisting that all beneficiaries were selected on merit.
The president made the remarks on January 8 during the disbursement of Nyota Business Start-Up capital in Eldoret, where hundreds of young entrepreneurs gathered to receive financial support aimed at helping them start or grow small businesses. His comments came amid growing public scrutiny over youth empowerment funds, which have historically faced allegations of mismanagement and lack of accountability.
Addressing beneficiaries and government officials, President Ruto challenged anyone who may have accessed the fund through corrupt means to publicly admit it, a moment that drew strong reactions from the audience.
“I am very happy that there is no one who has been pushed to be here or anyone who has bribed anyone to be here. If there is anyone who has bribed his way to this list, let them stand,” the president said.
He maintained that the Nyota Fund was designed to be transparent from application to disbursement and warned officials involved in its administration against engaging in corrupt practices. According to the president, integrity in the programme is critical to restoring public trust in government-led youth initiatives.
“I have given clear instructions to the officials managing this programme to ensure full transparency so that this fund benefits only deserving Kenyans,” Ruto stated.
The president used the occasion to criticise previous youth funding programmes, arguing that weak accountability frameworks had left them vulnerable to graft and inefficiency. He said past initiatives often failed to clearly identify beneficiaries or demonstrate tangible impact on youth livelihoods.
“There was an earlier programme that was run without transparency; you could not tell who the beneficiaries were or even know its impact,” Ruto said.
The Nyota programme is a five-year initiative funded by the World Bank in collaboration with the Government of Kenya, aimed at reducing youth unemployment by supporting self-employment and entrepreneurship. The programme targets young people between the ages of 18 and 29 who have attained a maximum education level of Form Four or below, excluding those with university degrees or higher diplomas.
Under the programme, beneficiaries receive business training, mentorship, and start-up capital totaling KSh50,000, disbursed in two phases of KSh25,000 each. In every phase, KSh22,000 is allocated directly to business operations, while KSh3,000 is deposited into the beneficiary’s National Social Security Fund (NSSF) savings account to encourage long-term financial security.
Government officials say the phased disbursement model is intended to promote accountability and ensure that funds are used for their intended purpose. Beneficiaries must also meet specific performance and participation requirements before receiving the second tranche.
The Nyota Fund is part of the Kenya Kwanza administration’s broader youth empowerment agenda, which seeks to address unemployment through skills development, enterprise support, and access to capital. Youth unemployment remains a major challenge in Kenya, with millions of young people struggling to secure formal jobs.
While the president’s assurances have been welcomed by some beneficiaries, governance experts note that sustained transparency, independent oversight, and public access to programme data will be key to determining whether the Nyota Fund avoids the pitfalls of earlier initiatives.
As disbursements continue across the country, attention is likely to remain focused on how the programme is implemented and whether it delivers measurable impact for young entrepreneurs.
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Ruto Orders Full Transparency in Nyota Fund Amid Corruption Allegations
