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Wajir Governor also proposed that the newly built Wajir Stadium be named after the late Ahmed Khalif, whom he described as a respected community leader and humanitarian.
In a press statement issued by the Ministry of Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development, Mang’eni said full attendance and participation in the upcoming classroom-based training will be a strict condition for accessing the second batch of Sh25,000 in start-up capital.
MSMEs Development Principal Secretary Susan Mang’eni said on Thursday, April 9, that the waiver will apply to NYOTA beneficiaries who have completed mentorship and officially started running their businesses. She added that counties had earlier committed to supporting the initiative by offering similar relief within their areas of jurisdiction.
Launched by President William Ruto’s administration, Nyota aims to empower 820,000 youths aged 18 to 29 through business grants, digital skills, and training that enhances access to government opportunities.
The episode occurred as Ruto addressed Nyota Fund beneficiaries in Mandera. As he spoke, an unidentified man ran from the crowd toward the stage, triggering an immediate reaction from security. The President, however, asked that the situation be handled gently.
Mambo criticised the government’s broader economic approach, linking empowerment programmes to what he described as deceptive taxation measures that continue to burden ordinary Kenyans.
The programme’s second phase will see beneficiaries receive an additional Sh25,000, raising the total start-up capital per young entrepreneur to Sh50,000.
Under the NYOTA Business Component, each youth entrepreneur received Sh25,000 in the first phase of the grant. From this amount, Sh22,000 was sent directly to the beneficiary’s Pochi la Biashara account to support business activities, while Sh3,000 was deposited into a Haba na Haba Savings Account managed by the National Social Security Fund.
Despite this division, confidence in the programme’s integrity is relatively strong, with 57 per cent saying in-person validation is effective in preventing fraud without creating unnecessary barriers.
The Deputy President urged political leaders to redirect their energies toward supporting youth empowerment initiatives.
The Hustler Fund has already disbursed more than Sh80 billion, benefiting seven million Kenyans directly. “The seven million once blacklisted Kenyans have since repaired their credit,” Ruto said.