Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has called on Kenyans not to fall into the trap of those propagating incitement and division in pursuit of their political interests at the expense of the country’s unity and development.
He said communities have co-existed for a long time, reiterating the need to maintain peace and order for prosperity and development in every part of the nation.
“There’s only one Kenya. The country will develop if all the communities co-exist. It is the agenda we are pursuing relentlessly that is why we will not lend space to those trying to divide and incite Kenyans along tribal lines,” Kindiki affirmed.
He spoke on Saturday during an Empowerment engagement at Kibirichia in Buuri Constituency, Meru County.
“You cannot incite one community against the other because most communities are spread countrywide. We must preach peace and ensure equitable development in all parts of the country,” he added.
Kindiki who is spearheading the empowerment of groups and saccos belonging to youths, women, and small-scale traders across the country, defended the initiative saying it is meant to complement other far-reaching policies being implemented.
“Empowerment is central to bettering the lives of millions of Kenyans, especially those at the grassroots. This is something we will not relent in pursuing. Anyone opposed to it doesn’t know how Sh10,000, Sh20,000, Sh50,000 is crucial to uplifting someone’s hustle,” he indicated.
So far, thousands of groups and saccos have benefitted as the initiative is intensified nationally.
The DP said mama mboga, boda boda, owners of salons, barbershops, carpenters, electricians and other micro and small-scale traders play a huge role in running the local economies and creating jobs and deserve to be supported.
“Our men, women and youths don’t need freebies. They need to be empowered now and not during elections,” he emphasized.
The initiative is meant to complement other fully-fledged programs including National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) and Kenya Jobs Economic Transformation, targeting the empowerment of youths and women.
“We are not stopping at empowerment. It’s a complementary gesture on top of rolling out policies that have stabilized the economy and led to better earnings in the coffee, tea, dairy, miraa sub-sectors and others,” he noted.
The Deputy President also enumerated key projects funded by the government in Meru County.
Presently, 17 new markets are underway and six more are to commence soon. Also, Sh1.9 billion has been allocated for the expansion of last-mile electricity connections in the County with a target of 20, 000 new connections.
“We are also reviving stalled roads and intensifying electricity access, creating jobs in various sectors. All these development projects are targeted at improving the lives of residents,” he said.