Kirinyaga County Assembly Speaker, Mr. Muteti Murimi, has revealed that the Assembly has six bills ready to be debated in the current sitting session.
Speaking to the press, Muteti said that 2023 was a successful year where, in the first and second sessions, MCAs were able to debate and pass 67 motions touching on various departments in the county executive, as well as pass and enact six bills into law.
Muteti explained that the bills were enacted after being subjected to the constitutional process of publication, first hearing and public participation, second hearing, third hearing, and the final stage of being signed into law by the county governor.
Speaker Muteti disclosed that the bills expected to be discussed included the Kirinyaga County Disability Bill 2023, the Kirinyaga County Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill 2023, the Kirinyaga County Public Participation Bill 2023, the Kirinyaga County Empowerment and Development Bill 2023, the Kirinyaga County Transport and Parking Bill 2023, and the Kirinyaga C
ounty Agricultural, Technical, and Vocational Training Bill 2023.
Speaker Muteti gave an example of what is contained in the Facility Improvement Fund Bill of 2023, which is a bill that will give autonomy to health facilities to be able to manage challenges faced in the health sector. The bill ensures that any funds collected from health services will only be utilised for health purposes and will be able to curb different challenges, e.g., shortages of medicine in different health facilities.
Kirinyaga Inspection and Enforcement Services Bill 2023, on the other hand, is a bill seeking to ensure that there is compliance with the county laws and regulations.
He added that they were in the process of bringing a bill to have a full office of the County Attorney with a County Solicitor and a Prosecutor to boost inspection services in the county.
The Kirinyaga Industrial Development Authority Bill of 2023 will create a board that will be responsible for mobilising investment in Kirinyaga County, specifically th
e Industrial Park that has been established in Sagana with an area of 274 acres.
The board will have a role in identifying investors, especially those focused on agro-processing, to create a market for the local producers and create employment for the youth.
The Kirinyaga Appropriation Bill of 2023 provides budget estimates on government expenditures, while the Kirinyaga Climate Change Bill of 2023 addresses the matter of climate change in line with mobilising resources.
Harrison Kariuki, a nominated Member of the County Assembly from Karumadi Ward representing people with disabilities, said he appreciated the Kirinyaga County Assembly for introducing the Kirinyaga County Disability Bill 2023, which he says is a milestone for people living with disabilities.
He added that since he joined the County Assembly, there have been some steps taken to protect people living with disabilities.
He divulged that he had mobilised people with disabilities to register for the disability card, which has a lot of benefit
s and is also used as an identification card.
‘The card helps us access bursaries and get tenders, and it also helps one import products cheaper without added cost, unlike others who don’t have the card,’ he said.
Kariuki also pleaded that people with disabilities be allocated more money in their bursaries since they have more needs.
Speaker Muteti mentioned good working relations with the executive and public as the main cause of the achievements they have been able to make for the last year and a half.
Source: Kenyai News Agency
Minister of Family, Women, Children and the Elderly Amal Belhaj Moussa on Friday announced, at the signing of amendments to two partnership agreements on the national Raidet programme between the Ministry, the Tunisian Solidarity Bank (BTS) and the Banque Nationale Agricole (BNA), an increase in the value of self-financing provided by the ministry and the ceiling on funding allocated by the BTS.
She pointed out that the State had launched the Raidet programme to support women’s participation in the economy and encourage female entrepreneurship, indicating that, in accordance with these two amendments, new incentives had been approved for women applying for financing, notably with regard to the financing of projects related to sustainable agriculture, renewables and new technologies.
The amendments were signed by the minister, BTS Managing Director Khalifa Seboui and BNA Managing Director Ahmed Ben Moulaham.
Belhaj Moussa announced an increase in the amount of credit (interest-free) granted by the ministry
as self-financing for women entrepreneurs (from 20% to 30% of the cost of the project) from the resources of the financing line. The BTS and the BNA provide the remainder of the financing, estimated at 70% of the cost of the project, in the form of a medium or long-term loan.
She pointed out that the amendment to the agreement between the ministry and the BTS provides for a rise in the financing ceiling from TND 150,000 to TND 200,000, in addition to an agreement on financing for women’s agricultural development groupings.
She pointed out that since December 2022, 3,679 projects for women have been financed under the Raidet programme, with investments of over TND 35.5 million, which have contributed to the creation of 5,605 direct jobs.
The minister underlined that 55% of the women who have launched projects are higher education graduates and that 78% of the beneficiaries of the Raidet programme are aged between 18 and 45.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse