1. SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY HON. WILLIAM SAMOEI RUTO, PhD, C.G.H., PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE FORCES, AND PATRON OF THE PRESIDENT’S AWARD-KENYA, DURING THE GOLD AWARD PRESENTATION CEREMONY
Summary: President Ruto announces doubling the President’s Award-Kenya budget, additional staff recruitment, and modern offices to expand reach. Gold Award holders and mentors get priority in public service. He stresses investment in education/research (scaling National Research Fund to 2% of GDP), urges youth optimism, and notes 1,252 recipients this year. Other speakers (CS Mvurya, MP Alice Ng’ang’a, recipient Amani Njoki, CEO Margaret Kiogora) reinforce youth empowerment themes.
2. REMARKS BY THE CABINET SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF YOUTH AFFAIRS, CREATIVE ECONOMY AND SPORTS, HON. SALIM MVURYA, E.G.H. DURING THE GOLD AWARD PRESENTATION CEREMONY HELD ON WEDNESDAY, 21ST JANUARY, 2026, AT STATE HOUSE, NAIROBI.
Summary: CS Mvurya celebrates the recipients’ embodiment of resilience and service. He praises President Ruto’s 2025 proclamation elevating Gold Award holders and aligns the programme with national goals (bottom-up economy, digital transformation, skills). He highlights efficiency on a Ksh. 35M budget but requests increased funding to expand to all counties, improve infrastructure, and decentralize operations.
3. REMARKS BY THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY – STATE DEPARTMENT FOR YOUTH AFFAIRS & CREATIVE ECONOMY, FIKIRINI JACOBS DURING THE GOLD AWARD PRESENTATION CEREMONY HELD ON WEDNESDAY, 21ST JANUARY, 2026, AT STATE HOUSE, NAIROBI.
Summary: PS Jacobs honors the awardees’ dedication across community service, skills, and growth. He reaffirms government support for youth initiatives, encourages applying Award values in future careers, thanks mentors and families, and expresses gratitude to President Ruto for visionary leadership in empowering the next generation.
4. REMARKS BY CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD TRUSTEES OF THE PRESIDENT’S AWARD-KENYA PAUL MBATHA, DURING THE GOLD AWARDS PRESENTATION CEREMONY HELD ON WEDNESDAY, 21ST JANUARY, 2026, AT THE STATE HOUSE, NAIROBI.
Summary: In his first address as Chairperson (appointed September 2025), Paul Mbatha expresses gratitude, outlines a vision for nationwide inclusivity, stronger partnerships, and turning the presidential proclamation into real opportunities for Gold Award holders in public service. He pledges good governance and congratulates the awardees as future ambassadors of excellence.
5. REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT’S AWARD-KENYA CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER MARGARET KIOGORA, DURING THE GOLD AWARDS PRESENTATION CEREMONY HELD ON WEDNESDAY, 21st JANUARY, 2026, AT STATE HOUSE, NAIROBI.
During the Gold Awards Presentation Ceremony held at State House Nairobi, the CEO of The President’s Award–Kenya, Margaret Kiogora, expressed appreciation to William Samoei Ruto for recognizing and celebrating over 1,000 young people who achieved the Gold Award through dedication to volunteering, skill development, fitness, residential projects, and expeditions. She highlighted the programme’s impact since 1966, noting that over 500,000 participants have benefited and that Kenyan participants have contributed about 4.5 million hours of community service in the last four years. The speech also emphasized Kenya’s global leadership within The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation network, expansion of the programme to underserved regions, strengthened partnerships, and youth leadership initiatives, while calling for greater awareness and support from the education sector to enable more young people to benefit from the life-changing opportunities offered by the Award.