Women and institutions in Kajiado county will receive interest free loans from the county government if the Kajiado County Women Economic Empowerment Fund (Amendment) Bill 2023 becomes law.
The bill will establish a Women Economic Empowerment Fund.
Kajiado County Assembly Committee on Gender, Culture, Cooperatives, Tourism and Wildlife Chairperson Naisiae Karia said the Act seeks to facilitate the growth and development of women in the county.
Karia said the Fund will expand access of finances in promotion of women businesses and enterprises, generate employment for women and also model alternative framework in funding community driven development.
The bill was first enacted in 2021 but it was not operationalized or approved by the controller of budget since it proposed that women be given grants.
The law does not allow public funds to be given without a recovery framework. It has now been amended to a loan.
“We have done a number of amendments to ensure this money empowers our women and reduce poverty,” the MCA said, noting that some of the amendments include a reduction of membership in women groups from fifty to fifteen, establishment of Ward Management Committee where the ward administrator will be the chairperson and permit of businesses on alcoholic drinks which were initially prohibited.
Eligible groups must be registered and should compose of 100% county residents, the group must have a bank account and must operate using the table banking structure or any other group fund structure where members make monthly contributions.
The bill outlines a Fund limit for groups at a range of Ksh100,000 to Ksh300,000 and a range of Ksh100,000 to Ksh1 million for institutions.
By Obegi Malack
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