Jua Kali artisans among other professionals that fall in the hustler category on Wednesday, November 9, received a shot in the arm after the National Assembly approved a crucial motion seeking to boost their funding.
The motion which sought to empower artisans was first presented at the August House by Member of parliament for Dagoretti South, John Kiarie.
Through a popular vote, members of the National Assembly approved the motion tabled by the MP.
With the passage of the motion, artisans will get 2 per cent of the funds allocated under National Government Constituency Development Fund (NGCDF) and Uwezo Fund
The money will be used to equip artisans with the necessary skill, technology and tools to invent and innovate.
The MP, while moving the motion, noted that Kenya was rich in talent and innovation especially with platforms such as Annual Youth Innovation Week.
“Regrettably, those ideas and innovations enjoy a short-lived moment of fame on social media and never go beyond that,” noted Kiarie in his submissions.
Kiarie told parliament that the country stood a better chance in achieving Vision 2030 should the artistic ideas receive much needed support since most seek to solve problems affecting the society.
While debating on the motion, members of parliament agreed that there is immense potential for wealth creation and job opportunities in the artisans industry through local production if well-developed and commercialized.
They further recognized that Kenyan imports are well in excess of Ksh2 billion and that amount could decrease exponentially if artisans were empowered.
What is a motion
A Motion is a proposal made for the purposes of extracting a decision of the National Assembly or the Senate.
Once a motion is tabled in front of the house, the speaker of parliament then invites members to debate on it giving room for adoption or rejection.
If parliamentarians agree on the contents of the motion, it is adopted and the proposer cannot make further changes to the motion.
With National Assembly adopting Kiarie’s motion, artisans now will enjoy a share of NG-CDF and CDF.
