The National Assembly Committee on Sports, Tourism and Culture has told Kajiado governor to Keep his mouth shut as investigations are underway to establish how a government funded project went dim despite million pumped in.
In 2018 the government started training 4000 women to equip them with the relevant skills needed to transform bead making into a lucrative business.
Mr Ruto said the beadwork which has been a long time traditional activity will be transformed into a commercial business that will transform the lives of pastoral women.
The Deputy President said the initiative is in line with The Big Four Agenda which seeks to add value to locally made products with the aim of increasing income for Kenyan products.
Mr Ruto said: “We will train 4000 women who will be in charge of women groups across the region. A total of KES 400 Million has been set aside for the Ushanga Initiative that will be utilized in training and hiring bead designers to make beads for local and international markets.”
However, it has now emerged that there is vagueness in financial statements showing how the money was spent.
The project dubbed Ushanga Initiative Project involves 90 co-operative societies in seven counties.
The counties are Baringo, Marsabit, Narok, Kajiado, Samburu, Turkana and West Pokot.
According to the Government, the project sought to strengthen businesses owned by women from pastoralist areas.
In the 2017/18 financial year, the project was allocated Sh80 million by the State. But according to the committee’s investigation the money might have been eaten away by the ‘drought.’
Last week Lenku defended Hellen Nkaissery, the national chairperson of the Ushanga Initiative and also the matron of the project, saying she was being harassed and blackmailed by State officials.