Uhuru business trips ‘to have more women’

By JAMES MBAKA

Kenya: The Government is formulating a policy that will ensure 30 per cent of business delegations that accompany the President or his deputy abroad are made up of women.

Devolution and Planning Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru said her ministry is working on the new principle in line with the policy that women and youth should meet a third of Government procurement needs.

“I know sometimes you will say maybe they will not be able to meet the target depending on the country but we will seek to do that,” said Ms Waiguru, who was speaking during a Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry meeting. She exuded confidence that the policy will level the ground to allow both men and women to represent Government interests.

Waiguru noted that the Government was working towards opening up the American market to Kenya’s horticultural sector to expand trade ties, including seeking direct flights to US.

“We raised it during the launch of the new Boeing 777-300 that if it can fly 14 hours and it’s a brand new aircraft then the US will consider letting us have direct flights,” she explained.

At the same time, Waiguru lauded Parliament’s amendments that allowed the newly-launched Uwezo Fund a permanent status entitled to annual allocation and replenishment.

“This will allow a greater number of women and youth to become economically empowered beyond the Sh6 billion the national government had initially set aside,” she said.

During the Uwezo Fund rules and regulations debate, approval by the National Assembly House Speaker Justin Muturi struck out the amendment that would have required the executive to allocate one per cent of its revenue to the fund.

Waiguru, however, regretted that the new development means that her ministry will not handle the funds, as they will be disbursed at the constituency level and not regionally. “We had put money at the ministry so that we can partner with institutions but from what we understand, the resources have been reallocated completely to the constituencies,” she said.