The Government is in the process of setting up the National Youth Service Enterprise and Services Company, which will serve as the commercial arm of the National Youth Service (NYS).
Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Kiringa Ruku revealed the plan when he appeared before the Senate to answer questions raised by Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu on the Government’s plan to commercialize NYS.
The discussion focused on youth employment creation, skills development, and governance reforms within the service.
CS Ruku explained that the NYS Act, 2018, established the Service as a disciplined and corporate entity that can engage in commercial activities aligned with its training and empowerment goals.
He said the commercialization plan is part of President William Ruto’s directives, the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), and the Fourth Medium Term Plan (2023–2027). These initiatives aim to turn NYS resources — such as personnel, land, machinery, and projects — into productive assets that create jobs and generate income.
“The government’s plan seeks to make NYS self-sustaining and capable of creating employment opportunities for young people through structured enterprise engagement,” said CS Ruku. “We are optimizing the Service’s capacity to deliver both economic and social value.”
According to the CS, the NYS Enterprise and Services Company will run business ventures in sectors such as construction, mechanization, agriculture, agro-processing, textiles, hospitality, and security services.
He added that a commercialization matrix will be developed to track investments, performance, and results across all NYS enterprises. The government also plans to partner with public and private organizations to improve market access, technology transfer, and innovation.
On employment creation, CS Ruku said the initiative will generate thousands of jobs, especially for youth from marginalized and underserved regions. The enterprises will offer technical training, entrepreneurship skills, internships, and industry-accredited certifications to help youth gain long-term employability and self-reliance.
To ensure transparency and accountability, CS Ruku said strong governance measures have been put in place to prevent misuse of funds — a problem that has previously affected NYS.
He told senators that the NYS Council will continue to provide oversight and report to the Principal Secretary for Public Service. The National Treasury has also developed regulations under the Companies Act to ensure that the new NYS Enterprises and Services Limited operates legally and transparently.
“The company will have an independent board with representatives from the National Treasury, the Ministry of Public Service, and the NYS,” said Ruku. “It will also be subject to oversight by the Auditor-General, the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, the DCI, and relevant parliamentary committees.”
He added that lessons from past NYS corruption scandals have informed stronger internal controls, better procurement systems, and improved risk management.
“We have institutionalized preventive oversight and strengthened collaboration with anti-corruption agencies to safeguard public resources,” he said.
In conclusion, the CS reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transforming NYS into a commercially viable, transparent, and youth-driven enterprise that will play a key role in national development.
“Commercialization will enable NYS to sustain its operations while creating structured opportunities for training, employment, and innovation for Kenya’s young people,” he said.
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