President William Ruto has come out guns blazing against opposition leaders criticizing his administration’s youth empowerment programs, dismissing them as "clueless elitists" living in utopia who are disconnected from the realities of the common mwananchi.

Speaking in Samburu County during the launch of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme, a visibly agitated Ruto took issue with politicians who have ridiculed the Sh50,000 (approx. USD 330) start-up capital being disbursed to young entrepreneurs. He termed their criticism as an insult to the struggling youth who need every coin to survive.

"Utopia vs Reality"

"I see a fellow of 40 years asking, 'Why is the President giving youth Sh50,000? That is small money,'" Ruto mocked, mimicking his detractors. "To you, living in your mansions, it is small money. But to that young man in Maralal who has nothing, it is a lifeline. Stop despising humble beginnings!"

The President's defense comes amid attacks from the opposition that the funds are a "bribe" meant to pacify a restless demographic rather than a sustainable economic policy. Ruto, however, framed the NYOTA initiative as a fulfillment of his "Bottom-Up" manifesto, designed to put capital directly into the hands of the workforce.

• The Programme: The NYOTA initiative targets 100,000 youth across 47 counties, offering training and seed capital. In Samburu alone, over Sh100 million was disbursed to 4,000 beneficiaries.
• The Warning: Ruto accused opposition leaders of inciting youth to violence instead of offering solutions. "If you have no plan for these children, leave them alone," he warned. "Do not use them as cannon fodder for your political failures."

The Battle for the Youth Vote

With the youth demographic set to decide the 2027 election, the fight for their hearts and minds is intensifying. Ruto is betting on direct cash transfers and tangible projects to counter the opposition's narrative of high taxes and unemployment.

"We are not just giving money; we are giving dignity," Ruto concluded. "And no amount of noise from the ivory towers will stop us from lifting the hustlers up."