Deputy President William Ruto has said the government is committed to addressing the challenges faced by small and medium-sized businesses in the country.
He said the government was setting up a Credit Guarantee Scheme announced by President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday last week to ensure such businesses have access to credit.
Dr Ruto said the move was aimed at making small and medium-sized enterprises flourish, creating more jobs for the youths.
“It is the business of the government to ensure that ventures that generate employment and income for the people grow. Apart from making them access credit, we will also pursue policies that would create conducive environment for them to expand,” said Dr Ruto.
The Deputy President spoke on Sunday during two different church services in Lang’ata and Dagoreti South Constituencies.
He was accompanied by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri, MPs Nixon Korir (Lang’ata), Charles Kanyi (Starehe), George Theuri (Embakasi West), Bernard Shinali (Ikolomani) and Florence Jematia (East African Legislative Assembly).
Others were John Kiarie (Dagoreti South) Silvanus Osoro (South Mugirango), Kweya Thuku (Kinangop), Rahab Mukami (Nyeri County), James Gakuya (Embakasi North) and Simon Mbugua (EALA).
The MPs said they supported the Jubilee Government’s Bug Four Agenda and were totally behind President Kenyatta.
They added that they would use their platforms as elected leaders to push for the realization of the agenda.
The Deputy President asked elected leaders to work with the government in ensuring that the rights of legitimate businesses in the country are respected.
Mr Kanyi had asked Dr Ruto to fast-track government interventions in addressing the challenges faced by traders in the City, citing the plight of Nyamakima traders.
“It is the goal of the government to ensure that every business person from the lowest to the highest level has ample space to do business,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Deputy President called on leaders to work together and embrace pro-development politics.
“The realisation of the Big Four is dependent on the political stability of this country. Our unity as leaders is its fulcrum. It is therefore impossible for leaders to engage in endless politics that would not be of value to Kenyans,” he explained.
He asked Jubilee not to fall into the failure trap being set up by the Opposition.
“They do not have a development track-record. They do not have an agenda for this country. They are disintegrated and their interest is selfish,” said Dr Ruto.
He said the business of the Opposition was to impede the government’s development plan, and thereby turn that narrative into a political bait in 2022.
The MPs pledged to work with the government in addressing the needs of the people.
Mr Shinali said his re-election on a Jubilee ticket in Ikolomani, seen as an Opposition turf, had taught him that Kenyans were interested in service delivery and not politics.
“Just work, people will call us names but people will appreciate our efforts,” he said.
On his part, Mr Kanyi said the work Dr Ruto was doing across the country “is what will propel him to the Presidency in 2022.”
