Kigoma. ACT-Wazalendo parliamentary candidate for Kigoma Urban Zitto Kabwe has pledged to establish a Sh1 billion Special Fund to provide soft loans to small entrepreneurs if elected in the upcoming general election.
The aspirant, who was on a house-to-house campaigns in Kagera Ward, said the fund would directly target informal sector players such as food vendors, market traders, and motorcycle taxi operators.
The loans would be interest-free and free of hidden charges, aimed at protecting residents from what he described as “blood-draining loans” that have left many families in distress.
“Predatory lending has become a nightmare in Kagera Ward and beyond. Some residents are harassed to the point of abandoning their homes or switching off their phones when debt collectors come knocking. This Sh1 billion fund will offer affordable credit and end the cycle of exploitation,” he told residents.
The candidate said the fund would empower small-scale entrepreneurs to expand their businesses and contribute more effectively to the local economy. He framed the proposal as part of his broader agenda to fight poverty and stimulate grassroots economic growth in Kigoma Urban.
During his campaign trail in Kagera Ward, residents raised other concerns including high maternity costs, unreliable electricity supply, water shortages, poor roads and drainage, uncompensated land seizures, and lack of basic services in communities such as Mgumumile.
The aspirant promised to push for universal health insurance, complete the stalled Luiche River Bridge, and transform Kagera into a planned satellite town capable of hosting large projects such as the Luiche irrigation scheme and a Muhimbili University branch.
But it was his promise of the Sh1 billion soft loan fund that drew the loudest applause from small traders in the ward, many of whom said they were eager for relief from punitive lenders.
