The government plans to increase the number of National Youth Service (NYS) recruits from the 20,000 enrolled this year to about 100,000 by 2027. The Cabinet Secretary for Public Service Geoffrey Ruku said the expansion is part of a broader government strategy to harness the potential of the youth while addressing unemployment and enhancing service delivery across the country.
Speaking during a tour at NYS Yatta Field Unit in Machakos County, the CS emphasized the pivotal role NYS plays in youth empowerment, national development, and job creation. "We have many young jobless Kenyans who have an intention of joining NYS and as a government, we are working on modalities to increase the enrollment from the 20,000 we recruited this year to more than 100,000 in two years' time," said Ruku.
The CS at the same time announced that the government has embarked on commercialization of NYS activities with a special focus on agriculture so as to make the service more self-reliant and productive.
He said particular focus will be on farming of avocados, maize, and beans on a large-scale production and sale.
