Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Wednesday, November 30, attended the official launch of the hustler fund at the Green Park terminus, Nairobi.
During the event which was attended by President William Ruto, small-scale traders were given an opportunity to showcase their hustle.
Among those who showcased their businesses was a cloth vendor from Umoja, Nairobi County.
The man who was selling shirts was lucky after the second in command bought a KSh 1000 shirt at KSh 50,000.
The businessman revealed that his shirts usually cost KSh 1000 but since he was selling it to the country’s second most senior person, the shirt will cost KSh 5,000.
“Riggy G juu ni beshte yangu, hii nauzanga thao moja, lakini juu niko na fuliza ataleta thao tano ndio nilipe fuliza ndio nichukue hustler fund bila deni,” the man said.
Loosely translated to: “Because Riggy G is my friend, I normally sell the shirt at KSh 1k, but because I have a debt with Fuliza, I will sell it to him at KSh 5k to enable me clear my debt so that I take Hustler Fund.”
He said the extra KSh 4000 would settle the Fuliza debt to allow him access to the government’s Hustler fund kitty.
Gachagua however, the immediate former Mathira MP flashed out the KSh 50,000 for the shirt as the congregation cheered.
Earlier, Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegua had bought a KSh 25 smokie at a whooping KSh 200 shilling.
During the August 9, presidential campaign, William Ruto pledged to free Kenyans from predatory lenders through the launch of the hustler fund.
Others who supported the hustler include Trnsport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and National Assembly Majority leader Kimani Ichungwah who gifted an employed rider KSh 200,000 to purchase his own motorbike.
The fund will offer four different products: start-up loans, micro-loans, SME, and personal loans at an interest rate of 8 percent.
For instance, a customer who borrows KSh 500 will repay KSh 501.53 after 14 days.
