Rachel Asks President Ruto for Increased Funding
On Saturday, First Lady Rachel Ruto urged President William Ruto’s administration to boost the funding for the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF).
Addressing the audience in Kajiado County, the First Lady emphasized that boosting the fund would amplify its economic influence.
NGAAF, unlike the National Government-Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF), operates as a semi-autonomous government agency (SAGA) overseen by the Ministry of Gender.
The funds are distributed to female representatives at the county level, who then utilize the allocation to kickstart various development initiatives.
Rachel Ruto advocated for more funding during her visit to Maasai Technical Training Institute (MTTI), where she oversaw the allocation of income-generating tools and equipment valued at over Ksh19 million.
Aisha Jumwa, the Gender Cabinet Secretary present at the event, commented that the proposed increment faced obstacles due to legal and constitutional constraints.
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To avoid that issue, CS Jumwa encouraged lawmakers to establish budget allocations for the NGAAF as a proportion of the overall national budget.
Jumwa emphasized the significance of the funds, highlighting their crucial role in fostering grassroots development, particularly for marginalized groups such as women, youth, and individuals with disabilities who may not always have access to conventional financial resources.
During the event, additional political figures also advocated for an increase in funding for other resources overseen by the National Government.
Leah Sankare, the Woman Representative for Kajiado, specifically requested that the Tourism Fund be utilized to facilitate the connection of women’s groups with both local and international markets.
In the fiscal year 2022/2023, NGAAF received a budget allocation of Ksh2.13 billion, intended to be distributed among 47 counties.
During the fiscal year 2023/2024, the allocation was raised to Ksh3 billion, with Treasury CS Njuguna Ndung’u stating that it aimed to advance the empowerment of women.
Rachel Asks President Ruto for Increased Funding