The government has decried low loan repayment of Uwezo fund loans, which it has attributed to the effects of Covid-19 pandemic.
Trans Nzoia County Director of Youth Affairs, Dennis Chemonges while speaking to KNA Tuesday said that most groups had ventured into agricultural projects and added marketing of products were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said that so far the government has issued Sh114 million to groups in the county to start income generating projects to uplift their living standards.
The groups according to the youth officer were getting between 50,000 to Sh. 100, 000 to start small businesses.
“Most of our beneficiaries businesses’ have been affected by Covid-19 making them unable to pay their loans on promptly,” he said.
He however faulted some groups for taking advantage of this pandemic not to pay their loans as expected.
According to the youth officer, at least 58 youth groups are going to benefit through the Uwezo fund during this period.
“At least 16 groups from Kwanza sub county was awarded Sh1.6 million while Kiminini is to benefit from Sh4 million at the end of September,” he said.
He added, “The 58 groups include youth, women and people living with disability and our plan is to promote equitable social-economic transformation.
He said that his department is meeting with individual groups to assess their capacity to repay loans, adding that appropriate measures will be reached on how the subsidized loans will be repaid.
By Pauline Ikanda
