Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has told off critics of the Kenya Kwanza government's Hustler fund.
Speaking on Wednesday, the DP said the critics think the Sh500 to Sh50,000 limit is little money to them but it is a lot for many who are at the bottom of the pyramid.
"Those who are not hustlers, leave this fund alone. You will see them on TV tonight discussing this fund including those who said the fund would be impossible to come up with," Gachagua said.
"What they must know and they don't know is they might think that Sh500to Sh50,000 is little money. It is little money to them not to millions of Kenyans."
He said the critics are well off and have ways they can secure the expensive loans from banks using their land and vehicle logbooks.
Gachagua said that they should give the hustler nation a break.
"Those people with more money and from well-known families go borrow money from big banks. We are asking, let all critics, theorists and analysts give the hustler nation a break," he said.
During campaigns and after they took over the government, critics said it would be impossible to come up with such a fund, given the country's economic state.
The Deputy President spoke at the launch of the Hustler fund at the Green Park bus terminus on Wednesday.
During the launch, President Ruto said the fund is will give a lifeline to all Kenyans who had been blacklisted by other lenders.
He said Kenyans will now get a chance to borrow what they could not from mobile lending apps.
"It's 500 times cheaper than the average lender in the market," Ruto said.
"We have about 8 million Kenyans who have been blacklisted by lenders. The Hustlers fund will give them a second chance... Even those who had been sent away by lending apps, this is your chance to redeem yourself."
