Budget Reaction: Youths in Kisumu happy with Kazi Mtaani project

Youth in the informal sector in Kisumu have welcomed the government's ambitious plan to engage them in income-generating activities in the wake of coronavirus.

This is after the National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani announced an allocation of Sh10 billion to the 'Kazi Mtaani' programme, an initiative of President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The Kazi Mtaani programme is meant to engage youth in eight selected counties in development programmes, such as improving access to roads, unblocking drainages and building footbridges.

Yesterday, Lilian Natasha, a coffee vendor, was happy of the project.

"I hope the recruitment process will be free and fair," she told The Standard.

But she is not alone. Such is the expectation of several youths happy that at least the government factored them in the National Budget.

George Ouma, a shoe vendor, also expressed interest in working with the programme

"An opportunity has come for us to engaged in supplementary income generating projects," he said.

The programme has been rolled out in 28 slums in Kiambu, Nairobi, Mombasa, Kwale, Nakuru, Mandera, Kilifi and Kisumu in pilot stages.

The programme was launched by the president on April 25, targeting youth in slums from the eight counties.