Inside the phone call between tuktuk hustler and President Ruto
The Hustler Fund celebrated its first anniversary with an event attended by notable figures and numerous hustlers, including Harrison Karisa Kenga, a tuktuk operator, who shared insights into his phone call with Kenyan President William Ruto.
The event, held at the Green Park Railways, Nairobi, marked a year of the fund’s impactful contributions to the lives of Kenyan entrepreneurs.
During the President’s address to parliament on November 9, he disclosed that he had called several Kenyans who had benefited from the Hustler Fund. Among them was Mr Kenga, who had previously worked as a tuktuk driver and accessed a fund limit of Sh 724,000.
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President Ruto revealed that Karisa had requested reforms to the Hustler Fund, specifically advocating for the inclusion of asset financing. The purpose was to enable him to purchase his own tuktuk, as the one he operated did not belong to him.
“Yesterday, when I called Harrison Karisa Kenga, who has accessed Sh 714,000 from the Hustler Fund, he suggested to me to find a way to have the fund provide asset financing so that he can buy for himself a tuktuk because the one he had was not his,” stated the President during his parliamentary address.
When asked about the phone call at the first-anniversary celebration, Mr Kenga expressed his shock and gratitude.
“Can you imagine the president calling me? I was very happy when I received the call. And God bless you, Mr. President,” he said.
Reflecting on the content of the phone call, Mr Kenga mentioned that President Ruto affirmed they would meet in person.
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The entrepreneur revealed, “We discussed meeting in person. I have come all the way from Mombasa, and now I’m here to meet with him.”
Mr Kenga acknowledged the significant impact of the Hustler Fund on his life. He revealed that his initial loan was Sh. 800, which he used to fuel his tuktuk.
Encouraging others, Mr Kenga emphasized the importance of timely repayment of the Hustler Fund loan, stating, “Dawa ya deni ni kulipa (The debt remedy is to repay),” encouraging others not to default on their loans.
When asked about the amount he borrowed to date, he candidly admitted, “To be honest, I don’t know how much I have borrowed because I borrow and pay in a timely manner. I can borrow twice and repay back.”
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