ODM presidential ticket contender Jimmy Wanjigi has dismissed Raila Odinga’s social welfare plan of giving Ksh 6,000 monthly stipends to unemployed Kenyans.
The politician-cum-businessman said it was not practical to pay each jobless Kenyan Ksh 6,000 under the current economic situation.
“There is an estimated 4 million unemployed youths, and if you give Ksh 6,000 for each of these youths, that amounts to about Ksh 300 billion,” Wanjigi said.
Wanjigi who was speaking at Kutus AIPCA Church in Kirinyaga County on Sunday, October 17, said that Kenyans need empowerment, not handouts adding that if implemented, the social welfare plan would promote laziness.
Wanjigi who has expressed his intentions to wrestle former Prime Minister Raila Odinga for ODM presidential ticket further said that implementing the proposal would also be unfair to the working class, as it would burden the taxpayers who are already being overtaxed by the current regime.
“What (Raila) Odinga is talking about is meant to encourage laziness. Hardworking Kenyans’ money can’t be given out to those who do nothing,” he added.
Wanjigi noted that instead of promising money to the impoverished, Raila should push for the full implementation of the 2013 National Social Security Act that provides the framework for government to financially assist all unemployed Kenyans.
He said the act which is supposed to address unemployment challenges in Kenya has not been operationalised because the economy is at its lowest ebb.
Last week, the former Premier promise to give every needy household Ksh 6, 000 per month as part of his administration’s social welfare program which promises to help the economically marginalised groups to create wealth.
“We will ensure that every needy household gets KSh 6, 000 monthly under our social welfare program…those who are doubting should wait and see how we will do it,” Odinga said.