Nkaissery says govt will help revive handicraft industry in Mombasa

Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery Tuesday met members of the Kamba community living in Mombasa County and donated Sh3 million for the Akamba Handicraft Industry Cooperative Society in Changamwe.

During his address to the community which included two Wiper party MPs who have indicated they will move to the Jubilee Party, Mr Nkaissery pledged to donate more money to help uplift the ailing industry which has been affected by reduced numbers of tourists visiting the region.

“We are committed to injecting more funds into the business.

"What we are asking you to do is to organise a fundraiser and call us. I will mobilise some of my friends so that we can help uplift the industry,” Nkaissery said Tuesday.

The minister was accompanied by Coast Regional Coordinator Nelson Marwa, County Commissioner Evans Achoki and MPs Joe Mutambu (Mwingi Central) and Kisoi Munyao (Mbooni). Also at the meeting was Changamwe MP Omar Mwinyi (ODM).

Mr Nkaissery said a total of Sh10 million will be raised before March next year to help uplift the industry.

UHURU VISIT

He said President Uhuru Kenyatta will personally visit the area in December.

“Today I am here, but I want to pass to you a message from President Kenyatta that he will be visiting this area December solely to meet you and give his donation,” he said.

The community had asked the minister to help them revive the industry, which they said came to its knees after the tourism industry was hard hit by insecurity witnessed in the coast.

Mr Nkaissery told the residents that they had a right to get services from the national government.

COUNTY REVENUE

He at the same time asked Auditor-General Edward Ouko to review how county governments are spending the revenue they collect.

He sharply differed with Mr Mwinyi who blamed the national government for lack of water and inadequate health facilities in his Changamwe Constituency.

The MP had complained about the deplorable state of health facility and lack of medicine.

“We need medical services to be offered free of charge and the available hospice be well equipped to improve delivery of services,” he said.

The MP also asked the government to serve all Kenyans equally regardless of their political affiliations.

In response, Mr Nkaissery told the MP to ask Governor Ali Hassan Joho where more than Sh32 billion allocated to the county in the last financial year is.

“Health [is] devolved to the county governments and the money allocated to cater for the same has been disbursed. You (Mwinyi) go and ask your governor where the money is,” he said.