Ruto frustrated by absent government agency boss at forum

"I saw Narikae here, kwani alikuja tu hapa kujionesha?"

In Summary
  • Ruto was in Embu on Friday to launch development projects.
  • He said he had seen the man around and did not understand why he was missing during questioning.
President William Ruto during a past event.
President William Ruto during a past event.
Image: WILLIAM RUTO/TWITTER

President William Ruto was irritated after a government official was not present to answer questions during a consultative forum. 

Ruto was in Embu on Friday to launch development projects and thereafter attended an SME's Cooperatives and Revenue expo at Embu University.  

During the consultative forum at Embu University, one of the guests at the forum named Tanya asked how she could get a Sh10 million loan from Kenya Industrial Estates (KIE). 

"I know that part of your mandate is to support entrepreneurs as Kenya Industrial Estates. Industries include what Tanya is doing as an entrepreneur. How is KIE going to support Tanya? What does Tanya need to do to get a credit loan ?" Ruto posed to KIE officials.  

Ruto wanted the KIE Managing Director Parmain ole Narikae to help answer the question. 

"I want people from KIE to give us an answer. I saw Mr. Narikae somewhere," Ruto said. 

Shortly, a man who introduced himself as Kombo Nyaga stood declaring that he was the representative from KIE. 

But Ruto did not want to hear from a representative and insisted that he wanted the KIE management official to respond to his query.  

He said he had seen the man around and did not understand why he was missing during questioning.

"I saw Narikae here, kwani alikuja tu hapa kujionesha?" Ruto asked for him once more.  

(I saw Narikae here. Was he here to simply make an appearance?)

But Narikae was nowhere in sight. 

Since Narikae was not present MSME's Principal Secretary Susan Mang'eni had to answer to Ruto. 

"KIE gives loans of up to Sh20 million which a person and others can well benefit from. My CS and I are re-engineering KIE to ensure that one does not have to pay any collateral. We will also bring down the interest rates to a one-digit number," she said. 

Ruto urged the PS to up her game in the KIE agency. 

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