This was the first time since 2016 for the value of revenue tied up in Bonga Points to drop, with Safaricom attributing the decline on aggressive marketing of ‘Bonga everywhere’, which now allows customers to redeem points for air tickets, shopping, fuelling cars and even paying education loans.
Struggling companies have laid off casual workers, small businesses have closed while a large population that supported urban demand for menial jobs is staying at home.
To lessen the burden, Mr Kenyatta announced that the government had identified needy households in Nairobi who would receive the weekly Covid-19 stipend. He said piloting of the project had already kicked off and some of the initial beneficiaries had already received the funds.
The government has also announced Sh9 billion shillings through the Inua Jamii programme that targets orphans, the elderly and other vulnerable groups in the country.
President Kenyatta at the weekend also signed a new law which will see those earning below Sh24,000 exempted from tax as part of efforts to cushion workers from the hard knocks of the Covid-19 pandemic and the resultant restrictions on movement and economic activities. Value added tax (VAT) rate on goods was also cut to 14 percent from 16 percent to help protect the vast majority of people on low incomes through lower prices of essential goods.
Mr Kenyatta further announced that the government would also roll out the National Hygiene Programme tomorrow, an initiative that will help create a healthier environment as well as new jobs jobs, with the first phase employing 26,148 workers over 30 days and more than 100,000 youths progressively.
Further, most State agencies have cut back on non-essential projects and items such as travel and allowances in a bid to ease pressure on the public budget.
-Nairobi News.
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