NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 13 – President William Ruto has unveiled a Sh540 million monthly conditional cash transfer (CCT) program targeting 90,000 unskilled youth across Kenya.
The initiative provides Sh6,000 per month for six months, alongside funding for vocational and technical certification courses, under the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) program.
The scheme seeks to support school leavers without formal qualifications, enabling them to pursue technical training without dropping out due to financial constraints.
Total cash stipends over the six-month period amount to Sh3.2 billion, excluding tuition and certification costs.
Observers have noted that the program closely mirrors the “Babacare” proposal championed by the late Raila Odinga, which promised Sh6,000 monthly cash transfers to vulnerable households. During his 2022 campaign, Ruto criticized such unconditional handouts as unsustainable.
Unlike Babacare, Ruto’s program is conditional, tying cash transfers to skills acquisition. The government frames the initiative as a strategic investment in human capital, bridging Kenya’s skills gap, curbing youth idleness, and promoting national security and economic productivity.
“It is our responsibility as a government to pay the cost of their training and certification,” said President Ruto. “Every month, we will give them Sh6,000 so they can sustain themselves and not be forced to drop out to survive.”
The CCT rollout forms part of broader efforts under NYOTA, a World Bank-backed initiative aimed at reducing youth unemployment, enhancing technical capacity, and ensuring young Kenyans remain engaged in productive economic activity.
