Housing Principal Secretary, Charles Hinga, has stated that the government is set to process the payment for the Kazi Mtaani programme in the course of the week.
In a statement on Tuesday, July 12, Hinga noted that the delays were occasioned by the changes in the financial year which began on July 1.
Further, he announced that the programme would resume next week across the country, clarifying that some of the counties had challenges in the past program.
"Ordinarily, the government pays 30 days after services are rendered. We had a special dispensation for Kazi Mtaani owing to the fact that this was addressing serious vulnerabilities. However, if you recall even last year we had a similar challenge during the same time as the financial year ended.
"Cohort 1 will resume next week Tuesday together with those that worked for five days and others who were left out because they didn’t get SMS," he stated.
However, he maintained that the payment for the programme started by President Uhuru Kenyatta in the wake of the global pandemic was Ksh455 per day contrary to reports that the figure had been raised to Ksh1,000.
Hinga explained that the narrative had been started by politicians who were out to use propaganda with the aim of getting votes.
"Parliamentary transactions are captured on Hansard, ask them for proof of this increase. What they did was to cut what the President promised the youths during last year’s Mashujaa Day from Ksh10 billion to Ksh2.5 billion.
"Most of you don’t think politics matter, but if someone is willing to play politics with your livelihood then on August 9 you have the power to hire or fire them," he remarked.
Hinga made the statements in response to Kenya Kwanza politicians who alleged that the government was using money meant for the programme to campaign for former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
"The officials want a situation where we have all these desperate young people who are easy to manipulate. That is why today we have you have this Kazi Mtaani thing.
"It's really insulting to the young people of our nation that you sabotage the program of housing and value addition that would have given decent jobs and then because there is an election you have rolled out Kazi Mtaani," Ruto stated.
