By Courtesy
President William Ruto has called on Harambee Stars fans to maintain discipline during the team’s upcoming CHAN match against Zambia at Kasarani Stadium.
While commending the national team for its impressive performance in the African Nations Championship, popularly known as CHAN, the President emphasized that fan support must remain within the guidelines set by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
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His remarks come in the wake of chaotic scenes during the previous match against Morocco, where unruly fans breached stadium security.
Speaking at State House Nairobi during a meeting with leaders from Kisii and Nyamira counties, President Ruto encouraged fans without tickets to utilize public viewing arenas set up across the city by the Nairobi County government.
He stressed the importance of maintaining order and ensuring that national pride is reflected not only in the team’s performance but also in the behavior of its supporters.
Beyond sports, the President unveiled a series of ambitious initiatives aimed at addressing youth unemployment and accelerating development across the country.
He announced that over 90,000 Form Four and Standard Eight leavers will benefit from a new government training program designed to equip them with market-ready skills.
Each participant will receive a monthly stipend of KSh6,000.
This initiative is part of a broader strategy to shield young people from political exploitation and provide them with sustainable economic opportunities.
In addition, the President urged youth to register for the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (Nyota) program, which will empower 100,000 young Kenyans with KSh50,000 each to start or expand their businesses.
He also highlighted the success of the government’s labour mobility program, which has connected more than 430,000 Kenyans with job opportunities abroad over the past two years.
To ensure integrity in the sector, the government has revoked over 1,000 rogue recruitment agencies and signed multiple labour mobility agreements with foreign countries.
Kisii County was praised for leading in uptake of the program, followed by Kiambu and Kakamega.
On housing, President Ruto announced plans to double the number of youth employed under the Affordable Housing Program from 320,000 to 640,000 within two months.
He revealed that 10,000 supervisors will be hired from Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) institutions to support the expansion.
Kisii and Nyamira counties have been allocated KSh11 billion and KSh7 billion respectively for affordable housing projects.
The government also plans to relocate Kisii Main Prison from the central business district, freeing up over 20 acres for urban development and housing.
In Nyamira, the government is constructing 7,640 student hostels at a cost of KSh3.8 billion, further demonstrating its commitment to youth and education.
On infrastructure, President Ruto said the government will release KSh70 billion to clear pending road bills, adding to the KSh60 billion already disbursed.
An additional KSh120 billion has been secured to complete all pending road projects nationwide within the next 18 months.
The President also announced the construction of four modern markets in Kisii County at a cost of KSh500 million, with 16 more planned.
On health, he urged leaders to encourage residents to register with the Social Health Authority (SHA), noting that 42 percent of Kisii residents and 46 percent in Nyamira are currently enrolled.
He assured the leaders that a new contractor will be appointed to complete the stalled Kisii Cancer Centre.
President Ruto revealed that the government will expand and modernize Suneka Airstrip in Kisii County, following expert advice that Sironga in Nyamira was unsuitable for a new airport.
He instructed the Ministry of Roads and Transport to prioritize the airstrip’s rehabilitation.
The event was attended by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, Members of Parliament, Members of County Assembly, and other regional leaders.
