Sh4bn Uwezo disbursed to regional units

What you need to know:

  • The fund’s oversight board executive officer, Mr Wilfred Buyema was reacting to claims that the money had been delayed.
  • Mr Buyema said the number of applications for financial assistance in the country was overwhelming.

Some Sh4.24 billion out of the Sh6 billion allocation to the Uwezo Fund has been disbursed to constituencies.

The executive officer of the fund’s oversight board, Mr Wilfred Buyema, was reacting to claims that the money had been delayed.

Mr Buyema said the staff and relevant guidelines were yet to be put in place when President Uhuru Kenyatta unveiled the programme last year.

After the launch, he said, Parliament had to draft the regulations, which were gazetted on February 21. The board was approved a month later, on March 21.

“We have been on course since then and I don’t see any delays,” he told the fund’s service providers from Nyanza and western Kenya counties at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu on Monday.

Also present were 12 Members of Parliament.

APPLICATIONS OVERWHELMING

The team was being familiarised with the fund’s regulations and skills to be imparted to groups that qualify for loans.

Mr Buyema said the number of applications for financial assistance in the country was overwhelming.

“The demand exceeds by far what we have and we are forced to raise the qualifications for applicants. We will not ask for additional funds until we can efficiently use what we have,” he said.

The official said the beneficiaries were identified by committees and vetted before being trained for one week.

“The training covers table banking structures, entrepreneurship, business development and how to look for markets for products,” he said.