PS Mang’eni Attributes Delays in Giving Youths Ksh50,000 to Budget Constraints

The much-anticipated National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme has hit a funding snag, dampening hopes for thousands of young Kenyans eagerly waiting to kickstart their entrepreneurial dreams.

Speaking before the National Assembly’s Trade Committee on Thursday, MSMEs Development Principal Secretary Susan Mang’eni blamed budgetary limitations for the slow implementation of the World Bank-funded initiative. The government, she disclosed, has only secured Ksh1.2 billion against the Ksh8.8 billion needed to fully operationalise the youth empowerment agenda.

NYOTA, a five-year flagship project under the Ministry of Cooperatives, was expected to disburse Ksh50,000 to 70 youths in each of Kenya’s 1,450 wards, aiming to combat youth unemployment and income insecurity by fostering small business development. The funds were to be issued in two instalments of Ksh25,000 alongside Business Development Services training and mentorship.

“This is a scaled-up version of the Kenya Youth Empowerment Programme (KYEOP), targeting over 100,000 youth with business ideas,” PS Mang’eni told the committee. “We aim to empower young people through financial support and skills development to enable them to start or sustain businesses.”

However, MPs expressed dissatisfaction over the government’s premature rollout campaign, saying it raised unrealistic expectations among applicants. Ikolomani MP Benard Shinali demanded transparency, urging the ministry to publish the list of shortlisted beneficiaries to prevent further anxiety.

“If you love our youth, could you publish the names of those who have been selected, so that they know whether to keep hoping?” Shinali posed.

Committee Vice Chairperson and Aldai MP Marianne Kitany also slammed the ministry for public mobilisation without solid financial backing, warning that such moves risked triggering unrest among already disillusioned youth.

The programme is set to prioritise youth aged between 18 and 29 years, and up to 35 years for persons with disabilities, with a special focus on those with secondary education or less, including school dropouts.

Despite the hurdles, PS Mang’eni maintained that the Ministry remains committed to seeing NYOTA take off as soon as adequate funding is secured. “Once implementation begins, our focus will be on marginalised and underserved youth to create meaningful, lasting impact,” she stated.

For now, however, dreams remain on hold as the government works to bridge a Ksh7.6 billion gap in funding—a delay that threatens to dim the spark of hope ignited among Kenya’s aspiring young entrepreneurs.

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PS Mang’eni Attributes Delays in Giving Youths Ksh50,000 to Budget Constraints