President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday outlined key points to buffer Kenya’s economy amidst the adverse effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
In his key address to the National, while marking Mashujaa Day fete in Kirinyaga County, the President directed the National to further inject more cash into various ministries and sectors which will go a long way to cement their recovery.
Here are key takeouts from President Kenyatta’s Mashujaa Day speech
That the Ministry of Education, jointly with Ministry of Interior and The National Treasury, shall establish a framework for the construction of the over 10,000 classrooms needed to provide the additional learning space required for the 1 million new students set to join Junior Secondary;
That the National Treasury engages Parliament to appropriate Ksh. 8 Billion towards the construction of classrooms;
That the construction of the classroom be undertaken by local contractors within the vicinity of each school, so as to provide further stimulus to the local economy;
Payments for the construction of the said classrooms will be remitted directly to the contractors in their respective sub-counties. This initiative will tap into the skilled manpower within the counties, empowering locals with enhanced economic opportunities.
To safeguard the gains made in the Tea Sub-Sector, President Kenyatta has directed the National Treasury to allocate KSh.1 Billion in support of fertilizer subsidy for Tea Farmers.
The Sugar Sub-Sector, safeguarding the livelihoods of farmers within Kenya’s sugar belt, and Uhuru directed the National Treasury to allocate an additional KSh.18 1.5 Billion in aid of the sugar sector, that will be appropriated towards factories maintenance and payment of farmer’s arrears.
Treasury has also been directed to allocate KSh.1 Billion to the Ministry of Agriculture to be appropriated towards completion of the ongoing targeted interventions in the Coffee Sub-Sector.
There will be an allocation of KSh.1.5 Billion in support of the communities affected by the ongoing drought in the ASAL counties as part of our National Livestock Offtake Programme.
To secure a reduction in the prices of animal feeds, and Agriculture CS jointly with the National Treasury, to issue within seven days, a framework that will facilitate the reduction of the cost of animal and chicken feeds.
Treasury to allocate KSh.8 Billion to the Ministry of Education for the CBC Infrastructure Expansion Programme.
The Ministry of Health to establish an additional 50 New Level 3 Hospitals, to be situated in non-covered areas and densely populated areas across our nation which will KSh. 3.2 Billion for immediate construction of the medical facilities.
Resuscitation of Kazii Ntaazi programme and Treasury will inject Ksh.10 billion for the third phase of the Programme. The programme covering over 200,000 youths will be rolled out to all counties, with priority given to densely populated areas.
The above measures will inject an additional KSh.25 Billion into the economy. These new initiatives complement ongoing State interventions that are expected to sustain the momentum of recovery, with the year’s growth rate projected to be 6 percent.
