Deputy President William Ruto’s wife Rachel will this morning take over the office that was formally used by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s wife Ida at NHIF building in community area.
It is understood that the decision to allocate Rachel the office was made a few weeks ago and it is meant to facilitate her work.
“Although she has no formal role in government her contribution in supporting her husband’s work is recognized by the government so there is therefore need for her to have her own office,” said a senior official in the office of the Deputy President.
Rachel has also been asked to identify staff who include, secretaries and a Personal Assistant who will be deployed in her office and paid by the government.
She is however understood to have decided to keep all the staff that worked for Ida plus plus her six bodyguards.
Although Ida occupied the office during her husband’s tenure as prime minister, she did not use it to support any particular national cause.
The government also plans to pay Rachel an allowance to facilitate her work and movement in and out of Kenya.
“In the last administration the wives of the President, Vice President and Prime Minister all enjoyed some allowance so there is no reason why the current first lady Margaret Kenyatta and Rachel should not have some,” added the official.
Rachel has also been asked to design a structure for her new office and work so that the government can facilitate her.
Since her husband assumed office in April, Rachel has maintained a relatively low profile only showing up in church and other functions in the company of her husband.
Rachel wants to concentrate on working with women across the country.
Yesterday she asked women to form business companies and position themselves to benefit from contracts and other trade ventures in the counties. She wants counties to give business opportunities to women and youth.
Rachel said women now have a better opportunity to compete with their male counterparts in bidding for tenders and engaging in more gainful business within the regions.
“Women are not there just to sell onions and potatoes on the streets in all towns. We can now do better business but we have to organize ourselves,” said Ruto’s wife.
She was speaking at the Eldoret Municipal Hall where she attended a prayer meeting for the Voice of Peace Women Ministry which brought together women from the North Rift region.
Rachel said women had the necessary capacity to head successful companies which can engage in the constructivist industry and other gainful trades.
She offered to help women form companies which would enable them to engage in tendering for services and other activities in the countries.
“We will find ways to offer the technical support for women to form the type of companies required so that they compete in the counties and the general market,” said Rachel.
She said currently there were so many opportunities within the counties and women should not fear engaging in any kind of legal business.
Uasin Gishu County Governor Jackson Mandago who attended the meeting said his administration was ready to offer more than 30 percent of contracts and tenders to women and youth.
He said that he had already nominated many women in the county’s Public Service Board because he believed women were more hard work and never engaged in vices like corruption.
“We will give job opportunities to more women because I know they can work more than men and they will also help us to tackle corruption,” said Mandago.
He said his government would create a conducive environment to enable women and other investors benefit from opportunities available in the counties system.
Mandago said tenders in his county would not be given to rich people but the youth and women who require support so that they support their families.
“We will not support those who already have because the only way we can have an equal society is to help the poor come up,” said Mandago.
Source:the-star.co.ke
