President William Ruto has announced the return of the Kazi Mtaani program, a move that many Kenyans have welcomed. The President made the announcement during a development tour in Nakuru County, where he addressed the needs and concerns of the local community.
The Kazi Mtaani program, originally launched by former President Uhuru Kenyatta, was discontinued in September 2022 by President Ruto, who argued that the program had been misused as a conduit for plundering public resources. However, due to growing public demand, the President has decided to reinstate the initiative.
“There are women here who have told me they want Kazi Mtaani. In that Kazi Mtaani, I have said starting next week, 500 people will be working here under that plan,” President Ruto announced. “This is so that we can make sure more young people can get employment opportunities.”
The program, which allows eligible Kenyan youth to engage in cleaning and maintaining government and public infrastructure in exchange for a daily stipend, aims to reduce unemployment and provide dignified job opportunities. Previously, the program employed 500 youth from every ward on a rotational basis.
While President Ruto previously criticized the program for offering undignified jobs, he now acknowledges its potential to provide necessary employment for young people. “Kazi Mtaani is outdated now, the work now is building affordable houses. We will have enough job opportunities for our young people without using them to collect garbage,” Ruto had stated. However, the renewed focus on the program suggests a balanced approach to addressing unemployment through multiple initiatives.
The President’s directive indicates that the new iteration of the Kazi Mtaani program will also employ 500 youth from every region. It remains unclear if the program will be rolled out in other parts of the country or if it will initially be limited to Nakuru Town.
Prior to this announcement, the administration had not prepared a policy or budget allocation for the program. Nevertheless, the Kazi Mtaani program is expected to complement other initiatives by the Kenya Kwanza administration aimed at eliminating unemployment. These include digital job creation, human labor export, and the affordable housing program.
