A new group of young people has benefited from President William Ruto’s ongoing empowerment programme after receiving brand-new boda bodas.
In a statement, State House Director of Public Communication Gerald Bitok announced that the President handed over the motorcycles on Wednesday, August 13.
A video seen by Kenyans.co.ke captured hundreds of youths leaving State House, hailing the president and thanking him for supporting their hustle.
‘’Another batch of Boda Boda Empowerment Programme units courtesy of President William Ruto leaves State House, Nairobi,’’ the statement by Bitok read in part.
The issuance comes barely three days after President Ruto hosted 15,000 youths at State House, where he distributed small business tools in addition to boda bodas.
During the August 9 forum, the President handed over equipment, including motorbikes, car-washing machines, salon and barber kits, and sewing machines, to help boost youth businesses.
The move has, however, sparked mixed reactions from leaders, among them former CS Justin Muturi.
Reacting to the empowerment programme, Muturi criticised the government’s focus on boda bodas and other small-scale hustles, saying it entrenched poverty rather than creating sustainable jobs.
“Instead of tackling the structural unemployment crisis, the UDA government’s ‘solution’ is to hand out boda bodas and call it empowerment. That’s not job creation, that’s locking youth into a poverty cycle and asking them to clap for it. It’s like giving someone a spoon to dig a dam,” Muturi said.
He further accused the Kenya Kwanza administration of tokenism, arguing that serious economies invest in innovation hubs, tech funding, manufacturing skills, and green energy jobs.
“Kenya’s ‘youth policy’ is basically: Here’s a wheelbarrow, now go make us proud. It’s policy cosplay, not policy substance,” he said.
Meanwhile, despite the criticism, President Ruto has maintained that he would continue with the empowerment programmes as his agenda to help the youth must continue.
