NAIROBI, Kenya — President William Ruto has emphatically dismissed claims suggesting that the issue of youth unemployment originated with his administration. He contends that the pervasive challenge of joblessness among young people has, in fact, persisted for decades due to a historical lack of structured government intervention.
Speaking during an inspection tour of the ongoing construction of the 542-unit Kilimani Police Housing Project in Nairobi, where he was accompanied by Lands and Housing Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome, the Head of State addressed the persistent criticism.
“Unemployment did not start with the administration of William Ruto. The problem exists because we’ve never had a proper plan or structured government strategy like the one I’ve put in place. That’s why we’ve had such a serious backlog of joblessness,” said the President.
He further challenged his critics, questioning, “There are people trying to mislead us into believing that all young people had jobs before Ruto became President. Are you telling me everyone was employed before I took office? Did unemployment start with my presidency?” He concluded, “This is a long-standing problem.”
President Ruto urged caution against misleading narratives, stating, “Let us not deceive ourselves and let us not incite the young people of Kenya on matters of unemployment. It cannot be sorted out in one day. It was never sorted out by previous administrations. I am working on it now.”
He stressed that for young people to secure employment, a clear and comprehensive plan is essential, asserting that jobs cannot be obtained through chaos, property destruction, or disturbances to peace.
President Ruto emphasized that his administration has now established proper structures specifically designed to create sustainable opportunities for the youth. He alleged that recent protests are politically motivated efforts by individuals seeking to exploit the frustrations of unemployed youth for their own selfish gains.
“There are leaders who incite youth to destroy property under the guise of unemployment. But let’s be honest — does burning a supermarket create jobs?” he questioned.
The President then outlined concrete measures his administration has undertaken to tackle joblessness, citing significant progress: the employment of over 320,000 youth in the Affordable Housing Programme, 400,000 in overseas jobs, and nearly 200,000 in digital work. He presented these figures as tangible evidence of his government’s commitment.
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“We now have a plan that ensures Kenyan youth — engineers, surveyors, plumbers, technicians, masons — are working. That’s the structured approach we’ve lacked for years,” he affirmed.
President Ruto called upon young people to resist political manipulation and instead actively seize the emerging opportunities being created. His sentiments were echoed by Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome, who stated: “We must reject the spirit of destruction and violence. Young people must refuse to be misused.”
The Kilimani Police Housing Project, along with similar initiatives nationwide, is presented by President Ruto as part of broader government efforts not only to enhance the living conditions of law enforcement officers but also to stimulate employment and foster economic growth through infrastructure development.
