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Khalwale faults ongoing empowerment drives by govt
23rd July, 2025 10:34 AM
Kakamega County Senator Boni Khalwale has publicly raised concerns over the ongoing empowerment drives being conducted by the Kenya Kwanza administration, particularly those led by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and other senior officials.
In a statement posted on his X handle on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, the senator has questioned the legitimacy and alignment of these initiatives with the original Kenya Kwanza manifesto.
According to Khalwale, the Kenya Kwanza coalition’s campaign agenda was carefully crafted through a series of regional economic caucuses that took place across the country before the 2022 General Election. These consultations were intended to shape and define the priorities of the coalition’s development strategy once in office.
He argues that the current wave of empowerment drives characterised by monetary donations and Harambees was never part of the documented development blueprint. Khalwale views these activities as a departure from the structured economic plans agreed upon by the coalition’s founders.
“As founders of UDA, we held regional economic caucuses across the country, which informed the Kenya Kwanza manifesto. I can confirm that Harambees, aka empowerment drives, were not part of the manifesto,” Khalwale said.
The Kenya Kwanza government has been conducting empowerment drives across various regions, focusing on distributing funds and resources to support grassroots communities, particularly women, youth, and small-scale traders.
These initiatives, led by figures such as Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, involve events where millions of shillings are disbursed, often accompanied by promises of economic upliftment under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
UDA’s treasurer’s defence
United Democratic Alliance (UDA) National Treasurer, Japheth Nyakundi, recently came out strongly in defence of the financial support being extended to women and youth under the bottom-up economic model, stating it is a fulfilment of the promises made during the 2022 campaigns.
Speaking at the Cherangany Constituency Economic Empowerment Forum held at Kipkeikei Grounds on Friday, July 11, 2025, Nyakundi said the initiative is a deliberate and targeted effort to uplift grassroots communities, particularly women and young people.
“Tulipokuwa tunatafuta kura, tulisema tutainua kina mama. Tuinue vijana kutoka bottom kuelekea wapi? Wale walidhani Bottom-Up ni ingine – sasa Bottom-Up ni hii,” Nyakundi told the crowd.
Translation: “When we were looking for votes, we said we would uplift women. Where were we supposed to lift the youth from, if not from the bottom? Those who thought bottom-up meant something else, this is what bottom-up truly is.”
