The government has dismissed claims that the Nyota Fund programme is linked to any political party, insisting that the youth empowerment initiative is strictly non-partisan and open to all eligible beneficiaries.
Speaking on Monday, February 9, 2026, State Department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development Principal Secretary Susan Mang’eni said she does not understand why the programme has been associated with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), noting that there is no political messaging or party identification involved at any stage of the process.
“I don’t know which part of it is UDA. I have not seen any political connotation to it,” Mang’eni said.
She emphasised that inclusivity and neutrality are central to the programme, adding that leaders from across the political divide are invited to participate in disbursement forums.
“I am the one who invites all leaders across the political divide. If they are MPs, governors, or senators, all of them are invited to attend the disbursement forums and engage with the young people,” she said.
According to the PS, the application process was entirely digitised and did not require applicants to declare their political affiliation.
“During the application, there was nowhere that someone was asked whether they belong to one party or another. There is no political messaging here,” Mang’eni stated.
She said the public nature of the disbursement forums is meant to enhance transparency and accountability, not to advance political interests.
Additionally, she explained that after applications were submitted, verification was conducted publicly to ensure accountability at the grassroots level.
“We did verification so that the whole country can come and see that indeed, in this ward, we have these young people who applied for this project,” she noted.
Mang’eni added that the training phase was also conducted transparently, with beneficiaries attending sessions independently, except for persons with disabilities who were accompanied by caregivers.
“When it came to training, they’ve been coming on their own. Nobody holds your hand, except persons with disabilities who require assistance,” she said.
