Governor Eric Mutai speaking in Kericho townKericho and Bomet counties have begun identifying projects
to be financed through a Sh1 billion Community Endowment Fund.
The fund was established from proceeds of the sale of multinational tea estates in the region.
The fund was created as a Community Welfare Trust after Browns Investments PLC took over Lipton Teas and Infusions’ tea estates in Kenya in a deal finalised in December 2024.
It is intended to benefit more than one million people living around 11 estates in Kericho and Bomet that were transferred under the deal.
Kericho Governor Eric Mutai hosted a delegation of consultants from the London School of Economics, led by Dr Ruth Mbeti Venza.
They have been contracted by Browns Plantations Plc to identify viable community projects to be supported through the endowment fund.
Mutai welcomed the initiative, saying the fund offered an opportunity to finance projects with a lasting impact on communities in the two counties.
“Though it has taken time, we now have hope that the process will move faster so that our communities can benefit from the projects to be supported,” Mutai said.
The consultants told the governor that the money was available and ready for disbursement once viable projects had been identified and endorsed by communities.
Mutai said Kericho had already identified health and education as priority areas where the fund could make a significant difference.
He, however, stressed that the final projects should be determined through meaningful public participation, giving residents a direct role in deciding how the money is spent.
“We welcome this initiative because it provides an opportunity for our communities to benefit directly from the proceeds of the sale of the multinational tea farms,” Mutai said.
He said the county had proposed priority projects in health and education but insisted that residents should have the opportunity to determine which interventions best respond to their needs.
“We, however, believe that the people must have the opportunity to participate and determine the projects that best respond to their needs,” he said.
The governor also called for transparent assessment of proposed projects, saying they should be evaluated on their viability, sustainability and potential impact on communities.
“The beneficiaries—communities—must be fully involved through extensive public sensitisation and participation,” Mutai said.
The visiting delegation is expected to consult communities and other stakeholders in Kericho and Bomet before identifying and recommending projects for funding.
The consultations will determine which projects ultimately receive support from the Sh1 billion endowment, putting community participation at the centre of decisions over how proceeds from the tea estate transaction are converted into long-term local development.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
The Sh1 billion endowment offers Kericho and Bomet communities an opportunity to turn proceeds from the sale of the tea estates into lasting local development. Its impact will depend on how projects are selected, implemented and monitored.
With health and education already identified as priorities, meaningful public participation will be crucial to ensure the fund addresses genuine community needs rather than becoming another top-down development programme with limited local ownership.
