President William Ruto has announced plans to expand the National Internship Programme by 50,000 places starting in January 2027, targeting young Kenyans graduating from universities, technical and vocational education and training institutions (TVETs), and the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC).
Speaking during the Mashujaa Day celebrations at Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret on Tuesday, October 20, Ruto said the expansion would give more young people an opportunity to gain work experience after completing their studies.
“From January 2027, we will expand the National Internship Programme to accommodate another 50,000 young Kenyans out of college, out of our TVETs, out of our KMTC and out of our universities and they will receive a stipend every month,” the President said.
Ruto said placements would be conducted through a transparent, digital, merit-based system, alongside incentives for private employers to offer young people meaningful work experience.
He said the programme aimed to address the challenge graduates face when they struggle to find jobs because they lack experience, yet cannot gain that experience without first being employed.
“This programme is intended to break that cycle and provide a pathway from education to productive work,” Ruto said.
He said the expansion would give young Kenyans an opportunity to gain practical skills and workplace experience as they transition from education to employment.
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Ruto Announces Proposed Tax Relief and Cheaper Mobile Phones
Ruto also announced proposed measures to increase workers’ take-home pay, reduce the cost of land transactions, make mobile phones more affordable, and expand employment opportunities for young people.
The President said the government had prepared a proposal to exempt Kenyans earning KSh32,333 or less per month from Pay As You Earn (PAYE) income tax.
“For workers on modest incomes, every shilling saved means more money for food, transport, school expenses and the needs of their families,” Ruto said.
The proposal would give eligible workers more money to spend on household needs if implemented.
According to Ruto, the National Treasury had developed proposals to exempt land transactions valued at KSh1 million or less from stamp duty and introduce progressive rates for higher-value transactions.
Ruto said the measure would reduce the cost of acquiring and transferring land, particularly for lower-income Kenyans.
Third, he said the government would pursue the necessary legal and regional customs processes to remove the 25 per cent import duty on mobile phones.
Ruto argued that phones had become essential tools for education, business, banking and employment, particularly among young people.
“Making phones more affordable will bring the opportunity of the digital economy within reach of more citizens,” he said.
The President presented the measures as part of a broader plan to ease the cost of living, improve access to property ownership and expand opportunities in the digital economy.
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Ruto Launches Programme to Guarantee University Graduates One-Year Internships
President William Ruto announced plans to provide every university graduate with a one-year internship through the Next Generation of Kenya Youth Employment (NextGen.Ke) initiative, in partnership with the private sector.
Speaking at State House on July 24, Ruto said the government would work with businesses and development partners to create a system that encourages employers to offer more internship opportunities to young Kenyans.
“If we can bring our development partners and the private sector together, we should provide every young person graduating from university with an automatic one-year internship through the Next Generation Initiative, backed by the Government of Kenya,” Ruto said during the programme’s launch.
The President said the government intended to increase funding for the initiative to KSh2 billion in the following year, with the allocation potentially rising to KSh5 billion as partnerships with development partners expanded.
He said private companies would be central to the programme by offering placements, sharing industry knowledge and mentoring young professionals.
Ruto also directed Cooperatives and MSMEs Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya to increase internship placements from 500 to 10,000 within three months.
The programme aims to help graduates gain practical work experience and develop skills that could improve their prospects of securing employment.
Ruto urged interns to use the opportunity to learn, demonstrate their abilities and prepare for future jobs. He also encouraged participating organisations to provide stipends to help cover basic expenses such as transport and lunch.
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