Kirinyaga County govt to help form boda boda saccos

Kirinyaga Governor Joseph Ndathi (left) presents a certificate to the chairman of Kerugoya boda boda sacco at Kerugoya stadium on June 29, 2016. He announced that his government will facilitate the formation of 20 saccos in the county to enable the riders get soft loans for development. PHOTO | GEORGE MUNENE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Governor Ndathi Wednesday presided over a funds drive in aid of Kerugoya Ward boda boda sacco.
  • During the function more than Sh350,000 was raised to enable the sacco, which has already been registered, start its operations.
  • There are more than 8,000 boda boda riders who eke out a living by transporting passengers and goods in the county.
  • Mr Ndathi told the riders that his government was committed to improving the living standards of the riders.

The Kirinyaga County government will facilitate the formation of twenty boda boda saccos which are intended to enable the motorcyclists access soft loans for development.

This was revealed Wednesday by Governor Joseph Ndathi when he presided over a funds drive in aid of Kerugoya Ward boda boda sacco.

"We want every ward in the region to have a sacco so that the riders can benefit," he said during the function which was held at Kerugoya Stadium.

During the function more than Sh350,000 was raised to enable the sacco, which has already been registered, start its operations.

Mr Ndathi said the county government will also set aside money which will be used to assist the boda boda riders form and register their saccos.

"The cyclists are hardworking and we want to empower them financially," he told hundreds of cyclists who had attended the function organised by Kerugoya Ward MCA Jackson Kibanya.

Already, there are more than 8,000 boda boda riders who eke out a living by transporting passengers and goods in the county.

FORM GROUPS TO GET LOANS

Mr Ndathi advised the cyclists to form groups in all the twenty wards and start registering saccos which can offer them loans.

"As a county, we shall ensure that you get the starting capital so that the saccos which will be established will run without financial problems," said Mr Ndathi.

He told the riders that his government was committed to improving the living standards of the riders.

"The cyclists are young men some who are married with children and we must help them so that they can be self-reliant," he said.

Mr Ndathi noted that the boda boda transport sub-sector was growing at a very high rate and creating jobs for thousands of youths in the region and as such his government could not ignore them.

"We have so many youths earning their daily bread in this sub-sector and as a county we must be fully involved to make sure that it thrives even more," said Mr Ndathi.

Mr Kibanya thanked the county government for supporting the boda boda riders in his ward and promised to continue working with the executive for the benefit of his people and the development of the ward.

"By cooperating with the governor, many development projects have been started and completed in my ward," he said.