Nairobi, KENYA: Tana River County has been blacklisted from accessing Uwezo funds due to massive default.
Speaking at a public function Principal Secretary for the minister of public service, sports and gender noted that the county has a very poor rate of repaying the funds.
“You are supposed to pay so that another person can borrow. Other counties are moving forward, but in Tana River, we are not making progress because some of you are holding others hostage,” she said.
The PS noted that of the 61 million awarded to Tana River residents, 58 million had so far been borrowed in the last 5 years with only 1million have been paid back a move she termed as shameful.
“It is shameful for you to take these funds and fail to return them so that they can help others,” she said.
The Youth enterprise kitty has the highest default rate with 14million borrowed over the last 11 years which is yet to be paid back.
The PS urged youth to take up more loans to develop their enterprises to be able to compete on both local and international encouraging residents of Tana River to improve their borrowing rate and paying back rate as their counterparts in Mombasa and Kilifi who are paying back their loans religiously.
“Borrowing in Tana River is still too low, we still are giving Sh6 million here, while Kilifi the youth are at Sh13 million and in Mombasa Sh20 million, and they are paying up.” Stated Safina Kwekwe.
