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State House has dismissed allegations that hundreds of Nairobi youth were duped during a recent empowerment event, insisting that all the promised motorcycles and other income-generating equipment were duly delivered.
State House Spokesman Hussein Mohamed has rubbished reports aired by Lower Eastern Digital Media in which a section of youth claimed they never received motorbikes and equipment despite being photographed during their handover at State House.
According to Hussein, a total of 1,100 registered youth groups from Nairobi submitted empowerment proposals, all of which were approved, funded and successfully delivered. Each group, he explained, had 10 members, bringing the number of beneficiaries to 11,000.
“The process was orderly. Group chairpersons delivered the projects to their respective members,” he said in a post on X, noting that only leaders were allowed to collect the items on behalf of the groups.
Dennis Itumbi, Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy, also dismissed the allegations and insisted that the motorcycles were issued to groups, not to individuals.
“Only the group chairmen were allowed to collect the items. That was the official process,” Itumbi posted on X.
However, some of the youth who attended the event have insisted that they never received anything. A group from Jacaranda in Embakasi told Lower Eastern Digital Media that none of the promised items were delivered, and they fear for their lives after posting a video demanding an explanation from President William Ruto.
One of the youth, Dickens Kamau Odhiambo, popularly known as Kamau wa Kisumu, says that despite being photographed with a motorbike at the event, he was ordered to exit through Gate D and told to go home.
“Senator Karen Nyamu put us on the list. We arrived at 4am and were only served with rice and minced meat,” he said. “They took my details and told me to wait at home. When I asked how they would reach me, they said they would use Truecaller. When I asked further, they chased me away.”
Odhiambo now claims his life is in danger, saying unknown people have been calling him using private numbers, pressuring him to record a video claiming that he received the motorbike.
“They told me to either admit that I got the motorbike or lie that I never went to State House. I will not lie,” he said. “I am ready to die but I will not lie.”
Another youth, Collins Otwala, whose group had applied for media equipment, said they were also turned away with nothing.
“We were 50, but 10 of us were selected. Our proposal was for media equipment, but we were told to go home. Even the bodaboda groups didn’t get anything. That’s when we decided we won’t keep quiet.”
The youth are now calling on those who reportedly received the items to come forward and prove it, saying the whole programme is nothing more than a scam
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