Ruto promises Sh100 billion to create employment for youth if elected president

Deputy President William Ruto on Friday promised to set aside Sh100 billion to create employment for the youth if elected President.

Speaking in Kiritiri, Embu, as he concluded his two day tour of the county, Ruto said this will be top on his priority list if elected president next year.

The second in command said the issues of the youth must be solved first before politicians start talking about sharing positions.

"These youths are our children, we have taken them to school, they have diplomas and degrees. If we don't plan for their employment we will lose them to alcohol, robbery and depression," Ruto said.

"Next year when we form government, priority number one will be to set aside Sh100 billion to create employment for the youth."

The deputy president hit out at his competitors saying that they are too focused on creating and sharing positions in government, but they will have to wait until he turns the economy around and changes the lives of youths.

Ruto said it was unethical for leaders to add themselves authority and positions while the youth are suffering. 

"Those I'm competing against say they want to change the constitution, add more powers to the presidency and add more leadership positions."

On his second day of the tour of Embu, the DP made stopovers and addressed residents of Ishiara Market and Siakago Town in Mbeere North, Kanyuambora and Karurumo and Ugweri Markets in Runyenjes, among other places.

Ruto has in the past one week been on a tour of the Mt Kenya East region where he has been engaging Kenyans, asking them to support his bid for the top job in 2022.

During his address, the DP pledged to continue with where President Uhuru Kenyatta has reached with the Big Four Agenda, which he says had a plan to create four million jobs for Kenyan youths before it was interrupted and derailed by the March 9, 2018 handshake.

Ruto accused ODM leader of scattering their plans after the peace handshake.

Earlier in the month, the DP said he was best placed to carry on the Big Four Agenda, when President Uhuru Kenyatta retires.

He said he was with the president when they planned for the Big Four Agenda, and not the opposition leaders.

"The president is retiring next year and the person he planned with the Big Four Agenda is not the Nasa guys. I planned the Big Four with Uhuru Kenyatta," he said.

The DP said the Big 4 would have created jobs, improved the health sector and agriculture.

Edited by CM