Kenya @50 legacy plans win private capital boost

Eight legacy projects planned to mark the jubilee anniversary of independence will not kick off until next year as the secretariat pursues partnerships with the private sector.

Kenya@50 secretariat chairman Hassan Wario told the Business Daily that sponsors for the projects had been identified and several other organisations had expressed interest in funding them.

“Several organisations have expressed interest and committed to implementing the projects from as early as January next year. These are projects which will continue to benefit Kenyans for years to come,” Dr Wario said.

Kenya celebrates 50 years of independence on Thursday with the holiday being extended to Friday to mark the milestone. The projects are meant to make a difference in the lives of ordinary Kenyans for many more years to come.

The partnerships are expected to supplement the Treasury’s budget of Sh500 million, which was slashed from Sh2.5 billion after a public uproar over such amount being spent only on parties and statues as had been the practice.

The initial allocation could hire 4,340 teachers for three years at a minimum wage of Sh16,000 per month or 4,160 nurses over the same period at a salary of Sh16,692.

“The budget we had has been spent on logistics, communication and purchase of merchandise for the event as well as on salaries for the team working behind the scenes. We are also using it to cater for the expenses of the five heads of states that are expected to attend the event,” he explained.

National Bank, Safaricom Foundation, Kenya Breweries Limited and Coca-Cola are among the companies that have committed money to the legacy projects.

“KBL has undertaken to carry out the refurbishment of the Kenya National Theatre at a cost of Sh100 million. This will see more young people going there to discover their talent,” he said.

The theatre has not been renovated for 60 years. Dr Wario added that Coca- Cola has contributed Sh104 million into the Uwezo Fund. The money will help create employment of 13,000 youth and women in the next year.

The Sh6 billion Uwezo Fund targets to lend money to youth and women groups for business expansion.

Safaricom Foundation is rehabilitating and equipping the new born unit at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH). The unit has only 15 incubators and infants with complications are forced to share facilities.

Safaricom Foundation’s corporate responsibility manager Sanda Ojiambo said work on the newborn unit and the Mathari Hospital would begin early next year.
“We have set aside Sh100 million and we expect that the work will be completed by December 2014,” Ms Ojiambo said.

KNH communications manager Simon Itahai said Safaricom foundation personnel had already assessed the state of the facilities.

“Renovation and equipping of the new born unit will streamline the facility to the free maternity program. The number of children being born has doubled and some of the sickly children end up sharing the few incubators that the unit has,” Mr Itahai said.

National Bank said it would fund a nationwide tree planting campaign targeting two million trees in the next five years at a cost of Sh80 million.