PHOTO CAPTION: Housing PS Charles Hinga Kazi Mtaani, the community clean-up program supported by President Uhuru Kenyatta to get the idle, jobless youth in urban and rural areas gainfully engaged, appears to be slowly running out of steam.
Many youths across the country continue to raise concerns over persistent payment delays and the lack of proper communication from the project's patron - Housing PS Charles Hinga as well as officials from the state department. In Mwatate, Taita Taveta County, laborers that worked as part of Phase 3 Cohort 1 are yet to receive their payment.
This is now over two weeks since they completed their shift.
Local chiefs coordinating tasks and reporting to the deputy county commissioners have also gone mute.
The delays have made it worse for them to meet their basic needs and way of livelihood. "Hello Cyprian. I’m from Taita Taveta county, Mwatate sub-county. Congrats on your good work. I appreciate. There’s a problem out here. Kazi Mtaani Phase 3 cohort 1 haven’t been paid since completing their shift two weeks ago. PS Charles Hinga has been quiet since the program was launched. No communication at all. The chiefs coordinating the program and reporting to the deputy county commissioners are also quiet. Cohort 2 is now at work, day 3. A lot of confusion. Kindly help highlight the issue on your platforms," the frustrated source writes.
So far, over Sh15 billion has been pumped into the program which supports thousands of Kenyans and enabled more youths to start small thriving businesses.
Known officially as the National Hygiene Programme, it was unveiled in July 2020 as a local economic recovery initiative and a form of social protection designed to cushion the youth and vulnerable citizens in informal settlements.