President William Ruto outlined the internship programme during a charter award ceremony at State House.
Ruto says the government will pay interns Ksh20,000–Ksh25,000 monthly from January 2027, including those joining private companies.
President William Ruto says more than 150,000 graduates applied for 50,000 paid internships within 24 hours. The government plans to launch the programme in January 2027, with monthly payments of Ksh20,000 to Ksh25,000.
Ruto gave the update at State House on Thursday, November 5, during International Leadership University’s charter award ceremony. He said applications had opened, with the process running through a digital platform.
The president said the response reflected graduates’ strong interest in gaining practical experience. The programme targets young people from Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions, colleges and universities.
Government to fund paid internships across sectors
Graduates will take up placements in both the civil service and the private sector. However, the government will cover their monthly payments regardless of where they work.
Ruto said the state would provide resources to help graduates apply their training in workplaces. He pointed to laboratories and factories among the settings where interns could put their knowledge into practice.
The president also said he had engaged industry representatives about incorporating graduates into the programme. Those discussions included the Kenya Association of Manufacturers and other private-sector players.
At the State House event, Ruto said he had met the industry representatives the previous day. He also plans to convene university vice-chancellors before the Christmas break to discuss internships ahead of the January launch.
Programme targets expansion to 200,000 interns
Ruto had earlier outlined the payment range and rollout plan during an October 25 church service in Mwingi. He said the programme would start with 50,000 young people in January 2027.
From that initial intake, the government aims to increase participation to 100,000 and eventually 200,000 interns. Ruto set out a two-to-three-year timeframe for that expansion.
He said the broader aim was to improve the transition from college into the workplace. The placements would therefore give graduates opportunities to use their training while gaining experience relevant to the job market.
Meanwhile, the application figures Ruto cited already exceed the initial intake by more than three times. His latest update places the opening round at 50,000 slots, with larger intakes planned as the programme grows.
