The government has released Ksh554 million to be used in settling payments owed to youths who worked in the Kazi Mtaani programme.
Housing and Urban Development Principal Secretary, Charles Hinga Mwaura, announced the release of funds on Friday, July 15, stating that all those youths who took part in Kazi Mtaani phase three cohort one in June will be paid immediately.
Hinga announced that the beneficiaries would receive their money after the National Treasury okayed the release of the funds.
According to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, a total of 164,372 youths who took part in the programme will receive their payment.
"To all the Kazi Mtaani youths that worked in Cohort 1, money is on the way. 164,372 youths will receive a total of Ksh554 million," Hinga announced.
He expressed his regrets that the government delayed releasing the funds to the youths who had offered their services to his Ministry.
"Kindly note, the amounts received will not be uniform as we had differences on days worked. From next week Tuesday (July 19), we shall streamline a few things."
"For Nyeri, Siaya and Uasin Gishu, your registers were received late from the county teams, we have submitted them to the mobile money service provider today for processing. You should receive your funds by Monday. Apologies for the inconvenience caused," he added.
Following the remittance of the funds, youths in cohort one are expected to resume work next week together with those who worked for only five days.
The Kazi Mtaani programme was launched in April 2020 to cushion the most vulnerable during the pandemic.
It targets people aged between 18 and 35 years.
The release of the funds comes just days after Interior Principal Secretary, Karanja Kibicho, dispelled reports that the youths taking part in the programme were shortchanged.
Responding to Kenya Kwanza running mate Rigathi Gachagua, Kibicho maintained that Ksh450 was the amount budgeted under the National Hygiene Programme. He insisted that the amount has not changed since the government launched the programme.
Gachagua had claimed that the government had budgeted for Ksh1,000 per youth per day, further alleging that the money was used to fund Azimio La Umoja campaigns.
"I would want them to produce the Hansard report confirming their argument that indeed, MPs legislated the amount they claim. This should be fairly easy to prove as the National Assembly is a House of records," Kibicho stated.
