Kenyans Urged to Tap into Government Business Opportunities

Kenyans have been encouraged to leverage government-backed loans, grants, and business opportunities to establish and expand enterprises, create employment, and improve their livelihoods. Principal Secretary for Economic Planning, Dr. Bonface Makokha, and Principal Secretary for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Susan Mang'eni, emphasized the importance of increased uptake of government empowerment programs to help residents become economically independent and reduce poverty.

Dr. Makokha expressed concern over the low uptake of the Women Enterprise Fund in many sub-counties, despite the allocation of funds to support women-led businesses. He cited Bunyala Sub-county, which receives Sh3 million for the Women Enterprise Fund, but only Sh750,000 was disbursed the previous month due to low application rates. Dr. Makokha urged Kenyans to take advantage of government funding, especially interest-free loans, to thrive and build themselves.

The government has completed the registration of the Brethren Grassroots SACCO, which aims to bring together spiritual leaders across the country to promote savings, investment, and access to credit. Dr. Makokha stated that this initiative will enable spiritual leaders to save, invest, and access loans to support various economic activities, with the goal of eliminating poverty by creating a culture of saving.

Dr. Makokha also urged Members of Parliament to ensure timely implementation of projects funded through the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF). He noted that the government has put measures in place to facilitate timely disbursement of funds, releasing KSh5.1 billion monthly to facilitate constituency development projects. Improvements in education infrastructure have been observed in several constituencies, including Budalang'i.

Susan Mang'eni encouraged residents, particularly women, youth, and persons living with disabilities, to register for the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) and Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO) programs. These programs offer business training and government procurement opportunities, with 30 percent of public procurement opportunities reserved for these groups, translating to approximately KSh300 billion.

Mang'eni revealed that the government is developing a framework to address delayed payments to contractors through invoice discounting, enabling eligible businesses to receive payments within 60 days. The NYOTA and AGPO training will be conducted online over a 10-week period, after which participants will receive certificates. Fees for business registration and AGPO certification will be waived to encourage more people to participate.

Budalang'i MP, Raphael Wanjala, urged parents to prioritize their children's education by enrolling them in local schools to strengthen learning institutions. He also challenged young people to explore alternative sources of livelihood, including technical training and entrepreneurship, amid declining fish stocks in Lake Victoria, and encouraged them to apply for government loans and grants to start businesses.

Key points

• The Kenyan government has allocated funds to support women-led businesses through the Women Enterprise Fund, but uptake has been low in many sub-counties.
• The government has reserved 30 percent of public procurement opportunities for women, youth, and persons living with disabilities, translating to approximately KSh300 billion.
• The government is developing a framework to address delayed payments to contractors through invoice discounting, enabling eligible businesses to receive payments within 60 days.