- EDITOR’S BRIEF: Gachagua’s visit to Botswana and attendance at the Forbes under 30 summit highlights the importance of engaging with the Kenyan Diaspora and promoting entrepreneurship and innovation as key drivers of economic growth and development.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua met over 250 Kenyans living in Botswana on Saturday evening to discuss their experiences living abroad and encourage them to invest back in Kenya. Gachagua acknowledged the boldness of the Kenyan Diaspora communities, who have ventured into the unknown and succeeded in working and investing in foreign lands.
During the meeting, Gachagua requested that Kenyans in Botswana invest back in Kenya, as the William Ruto administration will address the challenges they are facing. He also proposed that their savings could be borrowed by the government at an interest rate, rather than borrowing from other countries such as China. He further emphasized the need for Kenyans living abroad to support the fight against illicit brew and substance abuse for the youth to be useful again.
The meeting was attended by Kenya’s High Commissioner to Botswana Mohamed Shidiye and Principal Secretary for Diaspora Affairs Roseline Njogu. The DP is currently in Botswana for the 2023 Forbes under 30 summit, where he is representing President William Ruto.
The five-day summit brings together young entrepreneurs and game-changers from more than 40 countries to celebrate and learn from each other, inspiring the newest and next generation of leaders. The summit features speakers drawn from government, venture capital, and business role models.
In his address at the summit, Gachagua highlighted the importance of entrepreneurship and innovation in driving economic growth and development. He emphasized the need for the government to provide an enabling environment for entrepreneurs to thrive, including access to funding, mentorship, and networking opportunities.
He also spoke about the role of technology in promoting economic growth, calling for investment in digital infrastructure to support the growth of e-commerce and other technology-driven sectors. Gachagua cited the success of Kenya’s mobile money platform M-Pesa, which has revolutionized the financial sector and enabled millions of Kenyans to access financial services.
