Sh6.4billion boost for NYS as Government targets 100,000 youth

Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes Geoffrey Ruku said the investment would fund new classrooms, workshops, barracks, kitchens and administration facilities, increasing NYS capacity to accommodate and equip about 50,000 young men and women at any given time.

Ruku spoke on Friday at the NYS Paramilitary Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, where he represented President William Ruto during the passing out parade of the 01/2026 cohort of 15,363 recruits who had completed six months of paramilitary training.

The ceremony also marked a historic moment, with Ruku becoming the first Cabinet Secretary to preside over an NYS passing-out parade since the Service’s inception.

The CS said the expansion was not simply about increasing recruitment, but about giving more young Kenyans the skills and opportunities needed to secure livelihoods, create enterprises and contribute to the economy. “Kenya is a youthful nation, and our young people represent one of our greatest national assets,” CS Ruku said. 

The planned recruitment drive, he said, must be matched by adequate infrastructure, equipment, trainers and human resources.

“The President had earlier directed that recruitment should progressively expand towards 100,000 young people by 2028. Such expansion must be matched by adequate infrastructure, equipment, training facilities and human resource capacity,” Ruku said.

He said technical and vocational training would be expanded alongside the new infrastructure so that NYS graduates leave with practical competencies in areas relevant to the labour market. “The Service provides an environment where young people acquire discipline and patriotism while simultaneously developing practical skills in construction, agriculture, technical trades and other areas relevant to the economy,” he said.

CS Ruku said the Government wanted NYS to become a stronger vehicle for turning Kenya’s youthful population into a productive workforce, with training aligned to opportunities in food production, affordable housing, infrastructure, environmental conservation and enterprise. “This is not merely about training young people for employment. It is about building a generation capable of creating employment, supporting communities and contributing to national productivity,” he said.

The push comes as the Government seeks to strengthen pathways from NYS training to employment. The Cabinet Secretary said 12,760 NYS alumni had transitioned into vetted employment opportunities since 2024, including 5,720 who secured placements in the United Kingdom, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Australia.

The placements complement the Labour Mobility Programme, Kazi Majuu, which seeks to connect suitably skilled Kenyans to opportunities abroad through government-supported channels.

CS Ruku, however, said the priority remained to create more opportunities within Kenya, enabling young people to find productive livelihoods in their own counties and communities.

The Government is also equipping NYS to undertake more construction and commercial activities. Ruku said 50 large tipper trucks and two-wheel loaders were being procured, while a further 50 excavators were expected.

The equipment will boost NYS capacity in construction and infrastructure development, while enterprises in milling, water bottling and construction are expected to strengthen revenue generation and the Service’s financial sustainability.

Agriculture is another area targeted for expansion. CS Ruku cited the NYS partnership with the National Irrigation Authority to bring 3,000 acres under cultivation in the Tana Basin, alongside potato seed multiplication in Turbo and plans to establish at least 100 acres for clean, disease-free potato seed.

He said the initiatives would support food production and drought resilience, particularly in arid and semi-arid areas.

NYS is also expanding its environmental role. Since 2022, its programmes have contributed to planting more than 71.8 million trees, while its 22 nurseries can propagate about 50 million seedlings annually.

Through Climate WorX, NYS personnel have also been involved in road works, river restoration and other environmental interventions.

The Service is equally being positioned as a rapid-response force during national emergencies. In Chesongoch, Elgeyo Marakwet County, NYS personnel have helped reconstruct homes destroyed by landslides. Of the 56 houses targeted, between 80 and 90 per cent had been completed, with the first units handed over to affected families in Emsoo Ward.

“This is what National Service means: being present when communities face their most difficult moments, providing practical assistance and remaining committed until the work is completed,” CS Geoffrey Ruku said.

He also called for the Service to expand its reach to marginalised areas, including Northern Kenya. Discussions are underway on establishing an NYS presence in Marsabit to provide young people from pastoralist communities with skills in areas such as water management, livestock production and enterprise development.

The Government is also seeking to ensure that skills acquired at NYS are formally recognised. CS Ruku said graduates trained in masonry, carpentry, electrical installation, welding, agriculture and tailoring should have their competencies certified to improve their access to jobs, further education and enterprise opportunities.

NYS has developed a Recognition of Prior Learning policy, with 56 people already certified out of more than 200 identified for assessment.

CS Ruku linked the expansion to Kenya’s long-term development plans, saying the country’s future would depend heavily on the quality of its human capital.

“The success of such a long-term national vision will ultimately depend on the quality of our human capital,” he said. “Infrastructure, technology and institutions are important, but at the centre of every successful nation are people who are disciplined, skilled, innovative, ethical and committed to public service and national development.”

The 15,363 graduates, comprising 11,527 men, 3,835 women and 15 recruits living with disabilities, now join the wider NYS system after completing their six-month training.

Ruku urged them to use their training to serve their communities and country.

“As you leave this Academy today, carry forward the discipline you have learnt here. Carry forward the respect for authority, teamwork and service that has been instilled in you. Carry forward the technical skills you have acquired,” he said.

“But above all, carry forward the understanding that service to Kenya is a privilege and a responsibility.”

The Sh6.4 billion investment is expected to give NYS the infrastructure and equipment needed to expand recruitment while strengthening its role in youth skills development, employment, enterprise, environmental conservation and national service.