Kitui Central MP Hon. Dr. Makali Mulu Disburses Ksh 4.2 Million Uwezo Fund Cheques to 46 Women and Youth Groups
Kitui Central MP Hon. Dr. Makali Mulu today presided over the distribution of Uwezo Fund cheques worth Ksh 4.2 million to 46 women and youth groups at the constituency’s CDF offices in Kitui Town.
Speaking during the event, Dr. Mulu urged the beneficiaries to invest the funds wisely in projects that would empower them economically, while emphasizing the importance of timely loan repayment so that other groups could also benefit. “This fund is meant to uplift lives. Use it to invest in valuable ventures, and make sure you repay on time so we can extend the same support to others,” he said.
Out of the 46 groups, one received the funding for the third time where they got over Ksh 400,000 while seven groups were second-time beneficiaries. The rest were first-time recipients. Only one group for persons with disabilities (PWDs) was among the beneficiaries, prompting the legislator to encourage more PWDs to organize themselves and apply. “How I wish more PWD groups could be formed to benefit from this programme. Today, we only had one,” Dr. Mulu lamented.
The MP also revealed that around 55% of previous beneficiaries were yet to repay their Uwezo Fund loans, warning that this trend threatened the sustainability of the programme.
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On national matters, Dr. Mulu criticized the Kenya Kwanza administration’s current empowerment initiatives, describing them as mere “hand-out programmes.”
“You cannot empower someone by giving them KSh 64, KSh 100, or even KSh 1,000. If the government truly wants to empower people, it must create well-researched, sustainable programmes that are anchored in law and funded through the national budget every year,” he said.
Dr. Mulu also took aim at leaders aligned to the government, including those participating in empowerment drives led by Deputy President Prof. Kithure Kindiki, accusing them of misleading the public about the source of funds.
“It is shameful to see MPs pretending that the KSh 50,000 or KSh 100,000 they give out is from their own pockets. This is taxpayers’ money,” he stated.
On the ongoing Boda Boda Empowerment Programme, the MP said the sector already has a strong national-to-grassroots structure and urged the government to channel support through that framework rather than through what he called “sideshows and shenanigans.”
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