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Deputy President Kithure Kindiki on Tuesday said at least 70 SMEs in each of the 1450 wards in the country will receive Sh50,000 in grants to boost their businesses.
Speaking during an economic empowerment forum in Naivasha, Nakuru County, Kindiki said the program targets Kenyans at the bottom who run businesses such as salon and barbershops, carpenters, tailors, mama mboga and other small-scale traders who are in need of extra capital to grow their hustles.
He said that the government has allocated funds purposely to boost small businesses across the country, in line with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (Beta).
“We are keen on boosting the small and micro enterprises so that they expand and create more jobs. We will have 70 small-scale traders in every ward benefit from this program,” Kindiki said on Tuesday.
He went on to say that the Kenya Kwanza Administration promised to support those at the bottom of the economic scale, and it is doing so through various tailor-made programs.
“We are serious and we don’t want to be distracted by political nuisances. That is the bottom-up promise we made and we are fulfilling. It is time to work, we shall do politics later,” he added.
Kindiki affirmed that empowerment forums for mama mboga and boda boda operators will continue across the country.
He insisted that they are meant to support them to expand and earn more returns.
To those opposed to the programme, the DP said they should come out in the open and declare their stand.
“Anyone opposed to the empowerment programs should come out clearly and tell us they are not for empowering small-scale traders to grow and better the lives of the owners. We must ensure traders expand and help us grow our economy.”
The DP further noted that the government will expand the Climate WorX program which is ongoing in Nairobi, to other counties so more youths can be part of it.
The program is geared towards the regeneration of the environment through the cleaning of river basins and the unclogging of waterways and sewerage systems.
Kindiki added that he will be making frequent stops in Nakuru county to assess the progress of all ongoing development projects, including the 17 modern markets in Nakuru, including those in Naivasha, Mai Mahiu, Oserian and Kinungi, which are set for completion before the end of the year.
The DP also said the government is on course to acquire land for the victims of the Mai Mahiu dam tragedy.
“We are negotiating the land to settle the victims of Mai Mahiu. We will finish it, and in a short period they will be relocated,” he said.
During the empowerment programme, a total of Sh11 million was raised.
Kindiki noted that Sh5 million had been donated by President Ruto. He donated Sh3 million, Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika contributed Sh2 million, and Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah donated Sh1 million.
Governor Kihika said that the government was constructing three markets in Naivasha Sub-county.
“We want to restore dignity to our traders and mothers who work very hard, sometimes even risking their lives as they trade along the roads to gain their daily bread. We are putting up markets of them which will have ablutions, nursing stations and even wifi," she said.
"Those who are nursing small children like me will not do it in shame anymore”, she said.
She thanked the Members of the county assembly for playing their part even when she was away on maternity leave, saying that they did an exemplary oversight job.
