President Ruto Unveils Free Certification Deal for State Housing Jobs

President William Ruto has unveiled a fully-funded artisan certification programme to integrate informal construction workers into public housing developments. The national initiative targets thousands of skilled tradespeople operating across Kenya's active urban centers.

During a major stakeholder meeting at State House in Nairobi, over 5,000 informal sector workers met with senior government officials. President Ruto announced that state funds will cover all qualification costs.

Many experienced tradespeople have worked for decades without formal credentials, which regularly restricts their access to public tenders. The new registration framework allows artisans to validate existing practical skills, who can then join formal contractor supply chains.

The Head of State emphasized that certified workers will directly support the Affordable Housing Programme (AHP). This national project forms a central pillar of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which aims to generate widespread employment.

Masons, carpenters, plumbers, steel fixers, welders, and electricians are expected to benefit from this policy. Uncertified workers previously faced administrative barriers when bidding for government subcontracts.

Government figures show that informal construction workers make up a substantial portion of the active site workforce. Official recognition provides these tradespeople with formal accreditation, although obtaining official documentation was historically complex.

The State House gathering featured practical demonstrations, where President Ruto engaged with local carpenters on stage. President Ruto noted that practical expertise must be officially certified, if the country is to achieve its long-term housing targets.

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions will manage assessment standards for all applicant tradespeople. Officials confirmed that government assessment centers will verify practical capabilities, before issuing official certificates to qualified candidates.

Contractors engaged on public residential developments will be encouraged to source labor from certified Jua Kali pools. This operational policy aims to maintain structural quality standards, but it also ensures local communities benefit directly from state construction expenditure.

Construction industry stakeholders have welcomed the decision, stating that standardized trade testing improves safety across urban sites. Verified credentials will assist project managers in evaluating individual worker competence, when assembling site teams for large-scale building works.

The digital registration portal for the certification scheme is currently active for artisans based in Nairobi County. Government administrators plan to establish additional testing centers across all forty-seven counties, which will broaden access for rural builders.

This certification effort comes at a crucial moment, as multiple state-sponsored residential projects break ground across the country. Expanding certified human resource capacity ensures that construction supply chains remain resilient during peak building phases.

By bridging the gap between practical site experience and formal qualifications, the government seeks to professionalize the informal construction sector. The initiative is projected to enhance labor mobility, while opening up formal commercial contracting channels for previously unaccredited artisans.

As construction activities accelerate, demand for verified technical labor is expected to grow significantly. Government policy now aligns informal trade skills with structured national project execution, creating clear pathways for informal workers to enter mainstream infrastructure markets.