NYS Passes Out 15,361 at Gilgil as Government Plans KSh6.4bn Expansion
The National Youth Service (NYS) passed out 15,361 recruits at its Paramilitary Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, on October 2, 2026, after six months of training.
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku presided over the ceremony while representing President William Ruto, according to The Star’s report of the event. The graduates completed the initial paramilitary phase and are moving into the next stage of NYS service.
Government’s expansion plan
At the parade, Ruku said the government had allocated KSh6.4 billion to expand NYS facilities and set a target of recruiting up to 100,000 young people annually by 2028. The planned investment is to support classrooms, accommodation, kitchens, workshops and administrative facilities. These are government targets and plans; they do not guarantee that every graduate will receive a job or that recruitment will immediately reach the target.
The announcement links this graduation to a wider question for young people and taxpayers: whether additional training capacity will be matched by quality instruction, practical placements and clear routes into work. The government said NYS is also connecting graduates with employment opportunities, but recruits should verify any vacancy through the hiring organisation’s official channel.
What passing out means
A passing-out parade marks completion of the initial paramilitary training. NYS describes its wider mandate as including national service and technical and vocational training. The parade itself is therefore a transition point, not proof that each graduate has completed every later phase or secured employment.
Published figure check: The Star also printed subgroup counts for the cohort that add up to 15,383, which is 22 more than the reported total of 15,361. This report uses the stated overall figure and leaves the discrepancy visible rather than repeating the unreconciled breakdown.
