President William Ruto on Saturday witnessed the graduation of select Kenyans who attended the Arizona University scholarship programme which he announced during the 2022 Jamhuri Day celebrations.

Speaking during the YouthConnekt Africa Summit 2023 at KICC, the Head of State noted that many Kenyans believed that the programme was fake.

He added that the graduation was a testament to the initiative which he explained was crucial to the career development of Kenyans, especially the youth.

Ruto encouraged more Kenyans to grab the remaining slots in the programme adding that vacancies were still open.

The President made the remarks in light of criticism from some Kenyans who questioned how they would ascertain if the programme was free as claimed by the Head of State.

“I remember making the announcement in Jamhuri last year. It did not look real then. But today, we have evidence that it is a reality as we have graduates here today.

“Congratulations. Life is a journey of learning. The chance is still open. The address is still the same,” he announced.

According to Digital Strategist, Dennis Itumbi, who oversaw the graduation ceremony, Kenya was offered to take part in the scholarship programme that was targeting 1 million people.

Kenyans who wished to attend the programme, were asked to scan the barcodes offered to attendees of the 2022 Jamhuri Day celebrations.

To prove that the scholarship was real, one of the graduates was also asked to share their experience and encourage Kenyans to join similar programmes.

“I heard about the programme at Kasarani when it was announced. My sister recommended it to me. I went online and joined and it has been extremely helpful.

“It has helped me to upscale my skillset and make them more relevant to the job market. Thank you for the opportunity,” Nina Mathiu stated.

During the 2022 celebrations, Ruto announced that the scholarships would cover a 16-unit course valued at Ksh100,000.