NAIROBI, Kenya – President William Ruto will on Thursday, August 28, preside over the 89th National Youth Service (NYS) passing-out parade at the NYS Paramilitary Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County.
The colourful ceremony marks the culmination of six months of rigorous paramilitary and skills training for thousands of recruits, most of them aged between 18 and 24.
The event, initially scheduled for Wednesday, August 27, was postponed by a day to allow for final preparations.
Last week, NYS Service Commandant General James Tembur oversaw a full dress rehearsal at the academy, where recruits showcased precision drills, discipline, and readiness.
“The high standards exhibited reaffirm the Service’s central role in nurturing disciplined, patriotic, and skilled young citizens,” General Tembur remarked after the rehearsal.
This year’s parade is being billed as a milestone for the institution, which has broadened its role beyond paramilitary training to include technical, vocational, and entrepreneurial skills development.
The transformation is aimed at positioning the Service as a regional hub for youth empowerment and national development.
The passing-out parade—one of NYS’s most celebrated traditions—will feature elaborate drills, parades, and demonstrations that reflect months of intensive training.
President Ruto is expected to deliver a keynote address outlining his government’s youth empowerment agenda and the expanded role of NYS in job creation, skills training, and nation-building.
For the recruits, the day represents the culmination of months of discipline, resilience, and service, as they officially graduate into the ranks of the NYS.
