{"id":161010,"date":"2026-04-25T16:06:59","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T16:06:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/oparanya-wealth-comes-from-business-not-salaries-alone"},"modified":"2026-04-25T16:47:41","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T16:47:41","slug":"oparanya-wealth-comes-from-business-not-salaries-alone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/oparanya-wealth-comes-from-business-not-salaries-alone","title":{"rendered":"Oparanya: Wealth Comes from Business, Not Salaries Alone"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

What You Need to Know<\/h4>\n

Co-operatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya has ignited discussions by stating that salaried employment alone cannot lead to wealth. He emphasized the importance of entrepreneurship, noting that nearly 22 million Kenyans are engaged in small businesses, which the government aims to support through policy and financial initiatives.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Africa-Press – Kenya. <\/strong> <\/span>Co-operatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya has sparked debate after remarking that salaried employment alone cannot make one wealthy.<\/p>\n

He said that those who appear rich while formally employed may be engaging in dishonest practices.<\/p>\n

Speaking during a public event, Oparanya argued that building real wealth in Kenya largely depends on venturing into business rather than relying on a monthly paycheck.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you are employed and rich, you are stealing from your employer. A salary alone cannot make you rich,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The CS anchored his remarks on the government\u2019s renewed focus on supporting small-scale entrepreneurs, whom he described as the backbone of the economy.<\/p>\n

According to Oparanya, nearly 22 million Kenyans are engaged in small businesses, forming a critical mass that the government is targeting through policy and financial support.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlmost 22 million people are running small businesses, and they need to be supported. The government has established a ministry to assist them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The CS added that there are ongoing efforts under his docket to empower micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).<\/p>\n

He further emphasised that the large number of Kenyans operating in the informal and small business sector is not insignificant, but rather central to economic growth and livelihoods.<\/p>\n

\u201cTwenty-two million people are not a small number. They are the ones we are targeting,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Oparanya noted that the government is working on strategies to bring these entrepreneurs together, enabling them to access capital and expand their ventures.<\/p>\n

He said the goal is to ensure that small-scale traders and business owners can generate sustainable income, support their families, and contribute meaningfully to the national economy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are bringing them together and helping them access capital to grow their businesses,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The CS maintained that entrepreneurship remains the most viable pathway to financial prosperity, urging Kenyans to rethink their overreliance on formal employment.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you want to become rich, you must do business. Even if you are employed, you will not become rich through a salary alone,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n

Oparanya framed his argument within a broader economic policy direction that prioritises grassroots wealth creation.<\/p>\n

He said empowering millions of small-scale traders would not only improve household incomes but also strengthen the country\u2019s economic base.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is why the government has decided to support these 22 million people, so they can grow their businesses, have money in their pockets, support their families, and contribute to the economy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The CS affirmed that the government has put in place the necessary measures to support MSMEs, which are key drivers of the economy.<\/p>\n

Kenya’s economy has long been characterized by a significant informal sector, with millions relying on small businesses for their livelihoods. The government has increasingly recognized the importance of supporting these entrepreneurs as a means to foster economic growth and reduce poverty. Recent policies have focused on empowering micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to enhance their contributions to the national economy and improve household incomes. This shift reflects a broader understanding of wealth creation beyond traditional employment.<\/p>\n

Find more news and analyses on Kenya<\/span> on the Africa Press<\/span> website<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What You Need to Know Co-operatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya has ignited discussions by stating that salaried employment alone cannot lead to wealth. He emphasized the importance of entrepreneurship, noting that nearly 22 million Kenyans are engaged in small businesses, which the government aims to support through policy and financial initiatives. Africa-Press – Kenya. Co-operatives […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":161009,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,5],"tags":[4405,544,6598,16138,666],"class_list":["post-161010","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-economy","tag-entrepreneurship","tag-kenya","tag-small-businesses","tag-wealth-creation","tag-wycliffe-oparanya"],"yoast_head":"\nOparanya: Wealth Comes from Business, Not Salaries Alone - kenya<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"CS Wycliffe Oparanya argues that true wealth in Kenya comes from entrepreneurship, not just salaried employment.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/oparanya-wealth-comes-from-business-not-salaries-alone\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Oparanya: Wealth Comes from Business, Not Salaries Alone\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"CS Wycliffe Oparanya argues that true wealth in Kenya comes from entrepreneurship, not just salaried employment.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/oparanya-wealth-comes-from-business-not-salaries-alone\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"kenya\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-25T16:06:59+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-25T16:47:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/kenya\/sites\/28\/2026\/04\/sm_1777135357.090421.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1176\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"632\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/oparanya-wealth-comes-from-business-not-salaries-alone#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/oparanya-wealth-comes-from-business-not-salaries-alone\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"Oparanya: Wealth Comes from Business, Not Salaries Alone\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-25T16:06:59+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-25T16:47:41+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/oparanya-wealth-comes-from-business-not-salaries-alone\"},\"wordCount\":575,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/oparanya-wealth-comes-from-business-not-salaries-alone#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/kenya\/sites\/28\/2026\/04\/sm_1777135357.090421.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Entrepreneurship\",\"Kenya\",\"Small Businesses\",\"wealth creation\",\"Wycliffe Oparanya\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"economy\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/oparanya-wealth-comes-from-business-not-salaries-alone#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/oparanya-wealth-comes-from-business-not-salaries-alone\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/oparanya-wealth-comes-from-business-not-salaries-alone\",\"name\":\"Oparanya: Wealth Comes from Business, Not Salaries Alone - 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