Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu has announced plans to roll out an empowerment fund in two weeks time which will see recovered alcoholics access cheap loans to start small businesses.
The Jijenge Fund, according to Waititu, will replace the just concluded Sh1 billion 'Kaa Sober' programme that was aimed at rehabilitating many addicts who had almost drowned in alcoholism.
“The programme has transformed lives. Many unmarried men and women have found their other half’s after I started the initiative. We will not stop at this. The graduands will enjoy Jijenge fund loans,” Waititu said on Tuesday as he handed out certificates of completion to recovered alcoholics at Ndumberi grounds in Kiambu Town.
During the ceremony over 5,000 youths graduated after successfully undergoing the rehabilitation programme with the governor announcing that each was to be rewarded with Sh20,000 to go and set up businesses.
"I am very pleased to say here today that this programme is so far 97 per cent successful. This is why we have 5,000 reformed alcoholics graduating today. And because we have decided that county money is not only meant to be 'eaten' by leaders only, we are giving them Sh100 million to go and start businesses," said Waititu.
The governor admitted that the programme has been an expensive venture where the county spent about Sh2 million daily, something that had been criticised by a section of Kiambu leaders who had termed it as 'unsustainable'.
Waititu was, however, confident that it was the right thing to do telling off his critics.
“This is my project. Other leaders were elected to start their own and thereby I owe no one answers on the running of Kaa sober,” said Waititu.