Reprieve As Govt Pays Ksh 1.35B To Jua Kali Artisans

President Uhuru Kenyatta and Education CS Prof. George Magoha during the launch of Ksh 1.9B school desk project on September 17, 2020
President Uhuru Kenyatta and Education CS Prof. George Magoha during the launch of Ksh 1.9B school desk project on September 17, 2020
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The Education Cabinet Secretary, Professor George Magoha, on Saturday, February 20, confirmed that the government has paid Ksh 1.35 billion to Jua Kali artisans for supplying desks to schools nationwide. 

Magoha who was speaking at Raphael Wanjala Mundere Girls Secondary School in Budalangi sub-county said that the artisans delivered 625, 000 desks to learning institutions as they had been requested prior to the reopening of school in January. 

“The delivery of Ksh 1.9 billion desk programme has performed extremely well,” Magoha said.

President Uhuru Kenyatta with Education CS George Magoha at KICC on Tuesday, February 9, 2021.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta with the late Education CS George Magoha at KICC on Tuesday, February 9, 2021.

Through the Economic Stimulus Programme, the government had contracted thousands of Jua kali artisans to supply desks, but their dues were still pending despite the artisans having honored their contract.

According to the CS, Nairobi,  Nyanza and Central Region artisans have made 100% delivery. He, however, noted that Turkana County artisans were excused from the consequence of late delivery since they were outsourcing the desks from other places. 

He also added that the delivered desk represented 95 percent of the contract, and expected the artisans to complete the remaining portion by Monday, February 22. 

The payment to the artisans will be done through M-Pesa as the government aims at eliminating bureaucracy and avoiding theft of public funds. 

Magoha added that the government will do an audit immediately after the transactions are completed to ascertain whether all the artisans were paid.

The Jua Kali artisans were worried that the government would continue to delay the payment and expressed concern over their inability to purchase more stock. 

Jackson Kamau, a Juakali artisan, told kenyans.co.ke that he was glad the government was honoring its promise and hoped he would receive the payment in a day or two. 

“I made my last delivery two weeks ago and the school gave me a delivery acknowledgment letter. This is good news to us all artisans in Kenya and we thank the government for that,” Jackson said. 

The CS urged parents whose children were still at home to ensure they report back to school, and warned that education officers will continue to trace them until they are all found.

Education CS Prof. George Magoha at a workshop in Busia county on Saturday, February 20, 2021
Education CS Prof. George Magoha at a workshop in Busia county on Saturday, February 20, 2021
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