NIAJE.CO.KE

Breaking & Trending News

Youths engaged in the Kazi Mtaani Initiative going about their job. Photo: Courtesy

State denies nonpayment claims in the Kazi Mtaani Initiative Programme.

The government has denied accusations of financial irregularities, nepotism and nonpayment of wages in the Kazi Mtaani Program that aims at helping the slum families affected by Covid-19.

Housing PS Charles Hinga said on Friday July 17 while touring Naivasha that the accusations were unfounded, and majority of the youth in the program have received their payments and are awaiting payments for the second phase, which will be done via an app that has been developed.

Hinga also stated that more than 283,000 youths have been adopted into the program that will run for six months from all the 47 counties with the second phase set to focus on improvement of infrastructure (roads and buildings) in the informal settlements

The government, meantime, announced it had reduced the daily stipends for the youths from Ksh 650 to Ksh 455 per day so more can be hired.

“The first phase targeted hygiene, sanitation, clearing bushes and unclogging drainage systems. …We have already started this project that will train youths in various skills so they can work on access roads and rehabilitate government buildings,” the PS said.

“In the second phase we have developed an app to pay the youths and at the moment the majority of them have been paid,” the PS said.

Interior CAS Kang’ethe Thuku deplored increasing cases of teenage pregnancy and the rising use of drugs and illicit liquor adding that The Kazi Mtaani initiative was meant to empower young people and keep them away from illicit sex and drugs

“We are asking the youths to wisely use the wages meant to assist them during these hard times,” Thuku said.

Elsewhere in Muranga County Health CS Mutahi Kagwe praised the Kazi Mtaani Initiative and thanked the president for engaging the youth who are keeping the environment clean and at the same time earning a decent living through the initiative..

Kagwe stated that he witnessed the job the youths are doing while he was on his way to Muranga County to inspect the county preparedness in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.