By Afrireport 
President William Ruto has launched a fierce verbal attack on his deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, in the latest political spat over the NYOTA youth empowerment initiative.
The confrontation marks yet another escalation in the increasingly tense relationship between the Kenya Kwanza leaders.
Speaking during a rally in Eldoret on Sunday, President Ruto dismissed Gachagua’s recent comments on the NYOTA Program as baseless and hypocritical.
You’re an idler with no job, and you have the audacity to lecture me? How can someone who has no concrete achievements in empowering our youth talk about national programs?” Ruto exclaimed to roaring supporters.
The NYOTA Program, which stands for National Youth Opportunities through Training and Advancement, is an initiative launched by the Ruto administration to equip young Kenyans with skills, mentorship and financial support to create sustainable businesses.
It has been widely touted by government officials as a flagship youth empowerment project.
Gachagua, in a recent statement, had suggested that the NYOTA Program was falling short of expectations, claiming that it had failed to reach some of the most marginalized youth in rural areas.
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He also called for a review of the program’s management to ensure transparency and efficiency.
However, Ruto’s response portrays the criticism as politically motivated. “The NYOTA Program has created thousands of jobs and provided critical support to young entrepreneurs.
For someone like Gachagua, who has no record of economic achievement, to lecture me on youth empowerment is absurd,” Ruto said, emphasizing that the government’s focus remains on practical outcomes, not political point scoring.
This clash highlights the growing friction between the President and his Deputy, with both leaders increasingly asserting their influence ahead of the 2027 elections.
While Gachagua has not yet responded to Ruto’s latest remarks, insiders suggest that the Deputy may use the episode to rally his own support base, particularly among youth groups who feel left out of government programs.
As the political temperature rises, observers warn that these exchanges could have wider implications for the Kenya Kwanza coalition, which has long been portrayed as a united front.
For now, the NYOTA Program remains at the center of a storm of political rhetoric, with the youth caught in the crossfire of elite disagreement.
