President Ruto Launches Ksh.500 Million Annual Scholarship for Minority Communities

President William Ruto has launched a Ksh.500 million annual National Minority Scholarship Programme. The initiative will help children from minority and marginalised communities access quality education. Speaking at State House on Thursday during the International Day for Minority Rights, Ruto said the programme, supported by private partners, will cover both secondary and tertiary education.

The President also directed the Ministry of Education to set aside Ksh.200 million yearly for an Education Infrastructure Fund. The money will be used to build, upgrade, and equip schools and middle-level colleges in minority and marginalised areas. He further instructed the Ministries of Water, Roads, and Health, along with the Equalisation Fund, to prioritise these regions. The goal is to provide clean water, better roads, and improved health facilities to improve living standards.

These initiatives form part of the National Policy on Ethnic Minorities, Indigenous, and Marginalised Communities (2025-2035), which Ruto launched alongside minority leaders. The policy creates a Minorities and Marginalised Communities Directorate in the Office of the President to coordinate efforts across government. It also establishes a National Council for Ethnic Minorities and Marginalised Communities through legislation.

“This guarantees a permanent and authoritative voice for minority issues in government,” Ruto said. Governors have been told to set up County Minority Inclusion Units and integrate the policy into County Integrated Development Plans.

The directorate has been elevated to a semi-autonomous agency with legal and financial powers to oversee minority affairs. Ruto also directed the Attorney-General, in consultation with the Kenya Law Reform Commission, to draft laws establishing the National Council and align existing laws with the policy.

Ruto said the programmes mark a new era of inclusion, dignity, and shared progress. “Minorities are central to Kenya’s identity and vital for peace and prosperity,” he said. The scholarship and infrastructure projects are expected to expand educational access and improve social and economic development in marginalised communities.