By Dorothy Musyoka
The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to grassroots economic transformation with a major economic empowerment engagement held in Katangi, Yatta Constituency, Machakos County.
The event, which drew hundreds of area residents and local leaders, marked a bold step toward supporting women, youth, and micro-enterprise groups through strategic investments and policy-driven programmes.
The highlight of the day was the unveiling of development initiatives under the Economic Empowerment Programme, aimed at enhancing job creation and income opportunities for women and youth through their Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs).
“The Economic Empowerment Programme is complementary to the strategic policyinterventions and initiatives by the Government to stimulate the grassroots economy and create jobs and income opportunities for women and youth through their SACCOs,” stated DP Kindiki.
In a significant boost to education infrastructure, the Government announced an allocation of KES 165 million for the construction of student hostels in Matuu, targeting learners in tertiary and vocational institutions within Yatta Constituency.
“In our Institutional Housing Programme, we are investing 165 million shillings towards the construction of hostels for students pursuing their education in various institutions in Matuu in Yatta Constituency,” added the DP.
Further, as part of the Last Mile Electricity Connectivity Project, KES 1.4 billion is being invested to connect an additional 6,500 households in Machakos County to the national electricity grid.
The project, implemented across all 290 constituencies, aims to close the energy access gap and spur economic activity in underserved areas.
Transport infrastructure also received a boost with the announcement of plans to upgrade the Matuu-Ikome-Katangi road to bitumen standard, a long-standing request from the local community.
The empowerment event brought together a cross-section of national and local leaders including Members of Parliament Vincent Musyoka (Mwala), Joshua Mwalyo (Masinga), Nimrod Mbai (Kitui East), Mwengi Mutuse (Kibwezi West), Yatta politician Anastacia Muendo, and Mama Rahab Muiu, Chairperson of Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organisation, among other grassroots leaders.