Women in Kenya urged to access Sh300b cash for business

A women’s advocacy group has said a total of Sh300 billion from the Government is currently up for grabs by women who are keen on getting into entrepreneurship.

As such, it said, women should be aggressive taking up these funds by applying for Government tenders reserved for them.

The funds, which are being provided through various initiatives including the Women Enterprise Fund, Youth Enterprise Fund and Uwezo Fund, are ring fenced so as to provide affirmative action for women.

According to Kenya Association of Women Business Owners (KAWBO), the 2015-2016 Budget was so favourable to women, and put Kenya in a better light when it comes to providing opportunities for women.

In the 2015-2016 Budget Statement, the Government allocated Sh850 million to Uwezo Fund, Sh500 million for the Women Enterprise Fund and Sh300 million for Youth Enterprise Fund.

Accounting officers

In addition, the National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich directed all accounting officers to comply with the law, which requires procuring entities to reserve at least 30 per cent of their procurement to youth, women and persons with disability.

KAWBO Chairperson Eva Muraya said the Government has made a lot of strides in encouraging women to get into business. “The introduction of the Public Procurement and Disposal (Preference and Reservations) Regulations in 2011 undoubtedly marked a critical shift in the manner in which Government procures goods, services and works,” she stated.

Ms Muraya made the remarks at a forum convened for leaders representing business, Government, civil society and media to highlight women’s contributions to the continent’s fastest growing economies. The forum emphasised the critical role African women play in the economy.

While KAWBO lauded the Government for initiatives which enable women to easily get into business, it warned that such initiatives would come to a naught if women did not actually take up the opportunities.

According to Rotich, only about Sh10 billion has been accessed by women, youth and persons with disabilities in the fiscal year 2014-15.

“This is below our target and as such, all Accounting Officers are instructed to strictly adhere to the requirements of the law so as to support the entrepreneurial growth of our youth, women and persons with disabilities,” said the CS in his budget speech.

The Director of Vital Voices Global Partnership, a global women’s economic advocacy initiative, Celena Green, said that the forum was held to take stock of the gains women in business had made over the year.

According to KAWBO, research has shown there is a lot of benefit to societies that invest in women’s development.