Three coastal governors have pledged strong support for the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme and promised bold measures to ease the entry of the programme’s beneficiaries into business.
Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro, Lamu Governor Issa Timamy, and Tana River Governor Dhadho Gaddae Godhana announced that youth starting businesses under NYOTA will be exempted from paying trade licence fees. They also promised technical support to ensure beneficiaries succeed in their ventures.
The leaders made the commitments in Malindi during the launch of the NYOTA programme for 5,040 youths in the upper coast region, a ceremony presided over by President William Ruto.
Governor Mung’aro declared that no youth in Kilifi will pay licence fees when starting a venture with NYOTA funds.
He revealed that trade officers will be deployed to guide the young entrepreneurs and that the county has aligned the programme with the Wezesha Fund, which provides affordable credit to local small-scale traders.
“For those who have safeguarded their funds and have businesses that need additional capital, NYOTA will serve as the security for accessing Wezesha Fund to expand their enterprises,” he said.
Mung’aro also showcased innovations by Kilifi youth, including fish-based biscuits, smart water management systems, locally manufactured hygiene products, and eco-friendly sanitary towels made from banana fibres.
He noted that Kilifi and Taita Taveta counties have partnered to produce and distribute the sanitary towels to schools at affordable prices.
Governor Timamy assured NYOTA beneficiaries in his county that they will not pay licence fees during his tenure.
He announced plans to open a dedicated office with an officer to coordinate youth matters and provide quick assistance to the beneficiaries.
“During my tenure as Lamu Governor, young people in my county starting businesses during this period will not pay licence fees,” he said and urged beneficiaries to use the funds responsibly.
Governor Godhana echoed the same commitment, stating that the Tana River County administration will not charge youth for business licences.
He explained that the County Department of Trade is already working with national officers to support both new and existing businesses.
“For those starting new ventures, we shall help you to begin well and grow. For those already running businesses, we shall not interfere with your operations. Instead, these funds will serve as a top-up to strengthen your enterprises,” he said.
Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and MSMEs Wycliffe Oparanya said his office will engage governors nationwide to agree on a standardised framework for NYOTA beneficiaries.
“Some governors propose waiving licences for one year, others for two years, and others for five years. We shall sit down and agree on one uniform framework for the whole country.
He clarified that the project was not political, noting that it had been designed to empower young people across the country irrespective of their tribal or political inclinations.
“As you know, this project is not political. It is a national initiative personally designed by the President to empower young people across Kenya,” Oparanya emphasised.
He further urged youth to exercise financial discipline, noting that although the fund had been ringfenced so that it cannot be used to repay loans, repayment of debts and building trust with other traders are key to successful entrepreneurship.
Malindi MP Amina Laura Mnyazi cautioned beneficiaries against misusing the funds, stressing that they should be invested in businesses and not diverted to non-essential expenses.
In the first phase of the NYOTA programme, beneficiaries receive Sh25,000, out of which Sh3,000 is remitted to the NSSF as a saving. Upon successful utilisation of the first disbursement, the youths qualify for a second tranche of Sh25,000, with a Sh3,000 saving remitted to NSSF.
The programme, which targets more than 800,000 youth across Kenya, provides start-up capital, skills training, and business support to promote self-employment and economic growth.
By Emmanuel Masha and Martin Mwangolo
