Turkana County tops in cash allocations for elderly

Lokichar trading centre in Turkana County on June 28, 2015. The county was the biggest beneficiary of the billions of shillings given elderly persons in the last financial year. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Turkana County was the biggest beneficiary of the billions of shillings given to elderly persons in the last financial year.

The county received a total of Sh224 million of the Sh4.7 billion that was given elderly person aged 65 and above.

The county was the only one that got more than Sh200 million as others received less according to figures tabled in the Senate on Thursday.

Kilifi County came second with Sh193 million that benefitted 8,976 people and third was Nairobi (Sh182 million).

The counties with the lowest amounts were Isiolo (Sh32 million), Laikipia (Sh41 million) and Tharaka-Nithi (Sh46 million).

A total of 221, 986 elderly persons benefitted from the social welfare programme in the last budget year.

For disabled people, Nairobi County led after being allocated Sh33 million, followed by Kakamega (Sh22 million) and Kiambu (Sh22 million).

The least beneficiaries in this category are Isiolo (Sh3.6 million), Lamu (Sh4 million), Tana River (Sh5.5 million) and Laikipia (Sh5.6 million).

HIGHEST NUMBER FOR ORPHANS
Kakamega County received the highest allocation in the orphans and vulnerable children after being given Sh278 million that was distributed among 11, 579 orphans in the county.

Homa Bay followed with Sh248 million and Meru (Sh241 million).

Acting Cabinet Secretary for Labour, Social Security and Services Raychelle Omamo presented the figures to the Senate committee on Labour when she appeared before it on Wednesday.

“The programmes are not universal because they are targeted at particular persons of the society. We go for those with severe disability and require round-the-clock care and also those extremely poor,” said Ms Omamo.

Senator Madzayo (ODM) asked the ministry to involve local leaders including senators to avert its misuse.

“This is welfare policy that must be guarded well. Leaders, including senators, must exercise oversight in order to ensure the programme is run efficiently,” said the chairman.

Other senators called for a change in the policy saying it was not clear who benefits from the social welfare programmes especially the one for the elderly persons.

OVERHAUL THE PROGRAMME

“This is the most abused programme. I am appealing to you (CS Omamo) to overhaul it. We often meet older people in village barazas who have not benefitted yet they qualify. They do not know who gets the money,” said nominated Senator Zipporah Kittony (Kanu).

Labour Principal Secretary Ali Noor, who accompanied the CS to the meeting, said the three programmes were successful and should be supported.

“We are only looking at people with severe disability. We also do not cover the poor but those facing extreme poverty. We want to work with senators to ensure this programme succeeds,” said Mr Noor.