The Principal Secretary (PS) in the State Department of Housing and Urban Development Charles Hinga has assured Kenyans that the Kazi Mtaani funds will not be misused and that if in any case it happens, he should be hanged at Uhuru Park.
Hinga was responding to a netizen who alleged that the funds, just like those set aside for tackling Covid-19 in the country would be embezzled by powerful government officials.
The internet user identified as Joshua Njenga stated had written:
“If you are shocked by Coronavirus billionaires, wait until you hear the story of Kazi Mtaani billionaires. They are the same people but they have different names for their billions.”
The 10 billion-shilling fund was rolled out by President Uhuru Kenyatta for the Kazi Mtaani Initiative which is aimed at creating employment to the youth and promoting their source of livelihood.
Njenga’s comment drew the attention of the PS who swore on his life that such a thing will not happen under his watch.
“On this one, it won’t happen. If you find any, I’m ready to be hanged at Uhuru Park in broad daylight,” he declared.
Hinga also explained why a section of the Kazi Mtaani youth had not been paid in the recent times, something that caused uproar and protests.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke on Thursday, Hinga explained:
“The 6,000 are from 22 counties. The first cohort was paid about two weeks ago with the program having over 283,000. The rest were paid today.”
According to him, 4,158 youth from the second batch were paid a total of Ksh12,473,905.
However, about 1,800 more youth would have to wait longer before the settlement comes in as a result of “several inaccuracies in the information” they provided.
About 1,527 of the youth, Hinga said, had inactive phone numbers.
531 others missed out after their National ID details failed to match with their SIM card registration details.
However, 34 youths had not registered their phone numbers on any mobile money transfer services.