President Uhuru Inspects Kshs. 1.9 Billion Desk Project as School Reopening Nears

The President himself decided to inspect the production of Kshs. 1.9 Billion school desks project ahead of reopening of schools.

The project is intended to produce more than 650,000 desks to help in achieving the target of social distancing that the government has put in place, among other measures, to curb the spread of the COVID-19.

The Head of State was accompanied by Education CS Prof Magoha, PS Karanja Kibicho, and Interior CS Fred Matiang’i. The president and his entourage visited a workshop at Umoja that is contracted to manufacture desks, chairs, and lockers.

The workshop belongs to Dean Achesa, a youth, who is among thousands of other local artisans contracted by the government to produce the desks, lockers, and chairs.

As he launched the production of furniture in Umoja, the head of state said that the project of producing the furniture will be given to the youth to enable them to exercise their skills.

“After the Kazi Mtaani program, we said that school desks should be made by the youth rather than by the big companies so that they can exercise their skills. We believe in individuals earning income from their sweat and hence we decided to give our skilled youth the chance to earn decent livelihoods,” said the President.

President Uhuru also implored all young people to form SACCOs where they can be putting their savings as they should not utilize every coin as saving for the future is a very useful idea.

“When you start this work encourage all young people to form SACCOs where they can be putting their savings. Do not utilize every coin as it is wise for you to save for the future,” said President Uhuru.

Concerning politics, President Uhuru noted that he will not take part in the politics of name-calling. Instead, he said he will work to ensure Kenyans enjoy the fruits of their hard labor.

I do not want to engage in empty politics of name-calling. Rather, I am working hard to ensure all Kenyans work and enjoy the fruits of their labor,” said President Uhuru.

CS Magoha Warns Against Graft in Kshs 1.9 Billion Project

The government has now stressed that there is no room for deception in the supply of desks to basic education institutions (primary and secondary schools).

The government has allocated a whooping Kshs 1.9 Billion to produce and then distribute desks to 15 public schools in each sub-county under the Economic Stimulus Programme for Locally Assembled Desks for Schools.

On Friday, the CS of Education said while issuing the guidelines for implementation of the Project to county commissioners at the KICC that the government has established various risk mitigation strategies in case there an incident of corruption in the project.

“It is not time to ask ‘what is in it for me?’ we are doing this for our children. As far as this project is concerned, we are able to address everything. If there are bottlenecks, tell us directly rather than through the usual bureaucratic practices,” said Magoha.

For the sake of openness, transparency, and non-discrimination in the project, the government has deployed a model to identify beneficiaries of the weekly spending of COVID-19.

According to PS Karanja Kibicho, the government will exercise enforcement discretion against any individual trying to interfere with the process.

“We will need government administrators for this issue and it is their responsibility to ensure there are transparency and integrity in this process,” said Kibicho.

Prospective suppliers will get a 50 percent front load, with the assumption that the majority will have the capacity to deliver on the projects.