Post: Nyoro Urges Government to Boost World Bank Funding for NYOTA Youth Program

Kiharu: Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro has called on the government to consider topping up funds for the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) program to enable more unemployed youth to benefit.According to Kenya News Agency, Nyoro made this appeal during a church service at the Christian Foundation Fellowship in Mukuyu. He suggested that matching the financial support provided by the World Bank could significantly expand the program's reach. "NYOTA has been funded by the World Bank, so if they are giving us five billion, the government can match the amount for wider reach," he stated.Nyoro highlighted that additional funding could either facilitate more youth joining the program or allow existing beneficiaries to receive increased support to establish larger businesses. He also emphasized the importance of sound financial management, pointing out that economic challenges require strategic, rather than political, solutions. "If you are building a house and you see cracks, you don't call a painter; you call a structural engineer," he remarked.The MP urged leaders to focus on addressing the country's financial issues, arguing that political maneuvering alone cannot resolve underlying economic concerns. He expressed concern over the national debt level, citing figures from the Central Bank of Kenya and government reports that indicate the country has borrowed about one trillion shillings in the past eight months. "Kenya is currently borrowing between Sh3.5 billion and Sh4 billion every day, which translates to roughly Sh150 million every hour," he noted.Nyoro observed that a large portion of national revenue is directed toward debt repayment, with approximately 76 percent of recent collections going to service existing loans. "In August, for example, the government collected about Sh157 billion in ordinary revenue, out of which Sh120 billion went toward repaying accrued interest," he stated.He urged for prudent financial management to prevent Kenya from facing a potential debt crisis, while also acknowledging the Treasury's efforts to manage national debt through refinancing by taking new loans to repay older ones. "We must ensure that our borrowing supports growth and development, just as past administrations used funds for transformative projects like the Thika Superhighway and rural electrification," Nyoro added.