In a bold move to boost entrepreneurship and job creation in Kenya, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has announced a nationwide government initiative aimed at empowering small and micro enterprises (SMEs) under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). Speaking at an economic empowerment forum held in Naivasha, Nakuru County, Kindiki confirmed that the government has allocated dedicated funds to support small businesses across all 1,450 wards in the country.
According to the Deputy President, the initiative will see at least 70 small businesses in each ward receive Sh50,000 in grants, an unprecedented financial boost expected to catalyze the growth of micro-enterprises such as salons, barbershops, carpentry workshops, tailoring shops, food vendors (mama mboga), and other informal sector hustles.
“We are keen on boosting the small and micro enterprises so that they expand and create more jobs,” Kindiki said. “This initiative directly targets the Kenyans at the bottom who run small businesses and require extra capital to grow their hustles.”
BETA Agenda Taking Root at the Grassroots
The Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) was a core campaign promise of the Kenya Kwanza government led by President William Ruto. The agenda focuses on uplifting the economic livelihoods of low-income earners through grassroots economic empowerment programs. Deputy President Kindiki reiterated that the Kenya Kwanza administration is committed to fulfilling its pledge by ensuring that support reaches even the most marginalized communities.
“We are serious, and we don’t want to be distracted by political nuisances. That is the bottom-up promise we made, and we are fulfilling it. It is time to work; we shall do politics later,” he stated.
Kindiki emphasized that the program is designed to be inclusive, ensuring that traders and small-scale business operators get the support they need to expand, create employment, and contribute to national economic growth.
Sustained Focus on Trader Empowerment Forums
During the forum in Naivasha, Kindiki reaffirmed the government’s commitment to hosting ongoing empowerment forums for key sectors of the informal economy, particularly mama mboga and boda boda operators. He noted that such forums are crucial in ensuring the government understands the real challenges facing small traders and can provide the necessary support.
“These forums are not just symbolic. They are platforms for action. We will continue holding them across the country to ensure small traders are supported and enabled to scale up their businesses,” he said.
Calling Out Critics of the Empowerment Initiative
Kindiki did not shy away from confronting critics of the empowerment programs, challenging them to state their position openly.
“Anyone opposed to the empowerment programs should come out clearly and tell us they are not for empowering small-scale traders to grow and better their lives. We must ensure that traders expand and help us grow our economy,” he stated firmly.
His remarks reflect growing political tension around the implementation of the BETA agenda, with some quarters raising questions about the transparency and sustainability of the programs. However, Kindiki dismissed such criticism, framing it as an attempt to derail a transformative national agenda.
Climate WorX Program Expansion
In addition to SME support, Kindiki highlighted another critical area of focus — environmental regeneration. He announced that the government would be expanding the Climate WorX program, which is currently running in Nairobi, to other counties across the country.
The Climate WorX initiative, aimed at cleaning river basins, unclogging drainage systems, and rehabilitating urban sewerage infrastructure, also serves as a job creation vehicle for young people. By extending it beyond Nairobi, the government hopes to address both environmental and unemployment issues simultaneously.
“This program is employing our youth while regenerating the environment. We will expand it so that more young people across the country can benefit,” said the Deputy President.
Development Projects in Nakuru County
Kindiki also updated residents on several key development projects in Nakuru County, particularly the construction of 17 modern markets, including those in Naivasha, Mai Mahiu, Oserian, and Kinungi. These markets, he said, will be completed before the end of the year and are part of the broader vision to provide traders with safe and dignified spaces to conduct their businesses.
He further disclosed that the government is in the final stages of acquiring land to settle the victims of the Mai Mahiu dam tragedy, which displaced numerous families earlier this year.
“We are negotiating for land to settle the victims. It will be finalized soon, and they will be relocated,” Kindiki assured.
Sh11 Million Raised for Empowerment Programs
During the Naivasha forum, a total of Sh11 million was raised to support empowerment programs in Nakuru County. The funds were sourced from key government figures, underscoring the administration’s commitment to resource mobilization for local development.
- President William Ruto donated Sh5 million
- Deputy President Kindiki contributed Sh3 million
- Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika gave Sh2 million
- National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah donated Sh1 million
Governor Kihika on Market Projects and Dignity for Traders
Governor Susan Kihika, who attended the forum, praised the government’s efforts to uplift small-scale traders. She revealed that her administration is constructing three modern markets in Naivasha sub-county, designed to offer improved trading conditions for local vendors.
“We want to restore dignity to our traders and mothers who work so hard, often under unsafe conditions along roadsides. The new markets will have ablution blocks, nursing stations, and even WiFi,” Kihika said.
She highlighted that as a mother herself, she understands the struggles of women balancing work and caregiving, and insisted that no woman should be forced to breastfeed in shame.
Kihika also commended the Members of the County Assembly for maintaining excellent oversight during her maternity leave, noting that development continued seamlessly in her absence.
A Bottom-Up Vision in Action
The events in Naivasha underscore a broader shift in Kenya’s development model — from top-down policy prescriptions to bottom-up economic empowerment, where small traders, youth, and informal sector workers are placed at the center of the country’s economic revival.
With initiatives like Sh50,000 SME grants per ward, expansion of Climate WorX, and the construction of modern market infrastructure, the government is signaling its intent to institutionalize support for hustlers and small-scale entrepreneurs as a core part of Kenya’s growth strategy.
If successful, these programs could reshape the landscape of economic opportunity in Kenya — starting from the grassroots.