NAIROBI—President William Ruto has announced an ambitious target to employ one million young people in the government's Affordable Housing Programme (AHP) by 2026, a significant increase from the currently cited figures. The announcement was made on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, during a development tour in Makueni County, where he also launched several multi-billion shilling infrastructure projects aimed at stimulating local economic growth. Speaking in Wote town, President Ruto stated that 600,000 youths are presently engaged in the flagship housing project. However, this figure represents a substantial rise from previous official reports. In September 2025, the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing, and Urban Development reported that the AHP had generated over 330,000 direct and indirect jobs since its inception in 2022. Earlier, in May 2025, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki had placed the number of jobs created through the programme at 200,000. Fact-checking organizations have previously highlighted the fluctuating job creation numbers cited by the administration over the past year, with figures ranging from 164,000 in late 2024 to over 250,000 by February 2025. The government's long-term goal, as noted by a Cytonn Investments review in June 2025, is to create one million jobs over the programme's lifecycle. The AHP aims to deliver 200,000 housing units annually to address a national deficit of two million homes.

Makueni County Development Boost

Beyond the national jobs pledge, President Ruto’s Makueni tour saw the commissioning of significant local projects. The President announced an KSh 11 billion investment for housing and hostels in the county. He inspected the Boma Yangu Wote Pool Affordable Housing Estate, a project of 7,755 units reported to be 50% complete and scheduled for completion by January 23, 2026. He also formally reactivated the Wote Civil Servants Housing Project, a KSh 556.9 million initiative to build 162 units, with a completion target of May 10, 2027. Furthering the development agenda, the President laid the foundation stone for a new KSh 350 million modern market in Wote, a project under the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) designed to provide a structured and sanitary environment for over 750 small-scale traders. An additional KSh 50 million was allocated for the expansion of the Wote greengrocer market. The government also committed KSh 770 million for the construction of a new stadium in Wote, urging the county leadership to promptly allocate the required land. This follows years of delays on a separate Wote Stadium project commissioned in 2017, which has been stalled by financial and topographical challenges.

Thwake Dam and National Context

In a major boost for the region, President Ruto confirmed the allocation of KSh 9.3 billion to ensure the completion of the Thwake Multipurpose Dam by April 2026. The dam, a critical project for the semi-arid Lower Eastern region, is over 94% complete and is expected to provide water for 1.3 million people, support irrigation for 40,000 hectares of land, and generate 20 megawatts of hydropower upon completion. These initiatives are set against the backdrop of a severe youth unemployment crisis in Kenya. According to 2025 data from organizations including the Federation of Kenya Employers and RMF Global, the unemployment rate for Kenyans aged 15-34 stands at a staggering 67%, while the overall national rate is 12.7%. With over one million young people entering the job market annually, the success of large-scale employment initiatives like the Affordable Housing Programme is critical to national stability and economic progress. The President reiterated his commitment to working with leaders across the political spectrum to advance the country's development agenda, emphasizing that no region would be left behind.