Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has established a County Empowerment and Development Fund.
The fund that has already been allocated Sh30 million this financial year will support the vulnerable people, people living with disabilities, women, youth and other common interest groups with finances to establish or boost income-generating activities.
Speaking at Kamiigua Polytechnic Grounds where she launched the county football tournament and issued wheelchairs to selected people living with disabilities, Waiguru said that the fund aligns with her development agenda to uplift the living standards of every county resident irrespective of their socio-economic backgrounds.
She said that laws governing the fund have already been passed by the County Assembly, paving way for proper management of the fund.
As stipulated in the Kirinyaga County Empowerment and Development Act 2024, the objective of the fund is to empower both men and women, including youth and people living disabilities through access to capital, financing, collaboration, training and development of innovative ideas in agriculture, sports and entrepreneurship entities
It will support start-ups, asset financing, agribusiness financing and supplier credit financing.
The fund shall have an administrator and a committee composed of county officials and representatives from across the five subcounties in the county.
The fund committee will be responsible for overall supervision of fund, facilitate and manage public awareness of the fund, and receive, review, and consider applications for funding various groups.
Waiguru thanked the County Assembly for enabling the establishment and execution of the fund through passing of the required laws as well as allocating funds in the current budget.
In the event, 30 people including 16 adults, 11 pediatrics and three people with cerebral palsy, were issued wheelchairs, with the governor noting that her office had earlier issued more devices including wheelchairs, crutches, white canes, prosthetics and hearing aids.
She added that they will be getting more devices in coming years so that they may cover more persons with various disabilities so that they are able to participate in the county’s development agenda.
“As a county government, we are committed to promoting diversity, equity and inclusivity and ensuring that no part of society is left behind in the realization of our county’s socio-economic development goals,” said the governor.
She also noted that PWDs carrying out various businesses are exempted from payment of single business permit and encouraged as many of them to venture into enterprise.
Waiguru reiterated her administration’s commitment to supporting the vulnerable members of our community to enable them to participate in the county’s socio-economic development.
By David Wandeto
