Inua Jamii an idea whose time has come
A group elderly people follow proceedings during the launch of 'The Cash Transfer to Older Persons 'Inua Jamii' programme by President Uhuru Kenyatta at Ihura stadium in Murang'a County on February 4, 2014. Photo/ JOSEPH KANYI
What you need to know:
- Like most poverty eradication programmes the initiative falls under the patronage of the political class, with the MP and Women’s Representative appointing nine of the 14 members of the Constituency Social Assistance Committee (CSAC) and Civil Servants filling the remaining positions.
- The ministry’s website provides little information on Inua Jamii either so acquiring a list of beneficiaries is well nigh impossible.
The true measure of the justice of a system is the amount of protection it guarantees to the weakest, Aung San Suu Kyi said. Two millennia earlier Jesus said something even more profound, that in the final judgment the only issue that will matter will be how we treated the least of our brothers and sisters.
Since the Jubilee Government is the first to come to power since the promulgation of the Constitution four years ago, its performance, too, must be measured by how it has reached out to the weakest sections of society: pregnant mothers, the severely disabled, the old, orphans and vulnerable children.
The free maternity programme is still in its infancy at best but has aborted in other situations as NTV’s ‘Jubilee Babies’ proved this past week.
Of course, the confusion that emerged with the decision to devolve health is partially to blame and explains why the programme is a disaster in some counties but toddling along in others.
A greater worry concerns the unpreparedness, lack of clarity and shortage of personnel to implement the cash transfer programme, Inua Jamii, for severely handicapped, the needy over 65s, orphans and vulnerable children. Several months ago, I wrote excitedly about this programme’s potential to tackle poverty and provide social security as guaranteed in Article 43 of the Constitution.
A monthly stipend of Sh2,000 may not appear much unless of course you are as desperate and as troubled as most of the aforementioned are.
ILFILTRATING CORRUPTION
A nation progresses on a noble and moral path when it is mindful of its citizens who are the least productive due to the constraints of old age, disability or misfortune. But it is essential that this programme gets off to a good beginning and does not become another cash cow for political cronies or become manipulated to provide pocket money for civil servants kids.
In February President Kenyatta launched the rebranded programme and announced that it would extend significantly. The 2014/15 budget allocated Sh13.7 billion and that should assist 570,000 beneficiaries.
But like most poverty eradication programmes the initiative falls under the patronage of the political class, with the MP and Women’s Representative appointing nine of the 14 members of the Constituency Social Assistance Committee (CSAC) and Civil Servants filling the remaining positions.
An elaborate process of targeting, sensitisation, validation and enrolment is required but in monitoring the exercise in a few constituencies, this process has not been followed as the Social Services do not have enough resources or personnel. This leads to local infiltration and corruption of the programme.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Services has not managed to pay the social security on time either, with the current disbursement covering five months.
The ministry’s website provides little information on Inua Jamii either, so acquiring a list of beneficiaries is well nigh impossible.
But with so much money available and so many deserving people, faith-based organisations and well meaning individuals should not lose hope. They must lobby to change the rules, demand participation, and insist on transparency. Then Inua Jamii will not only succeed but grow to include more deserving Kenyans.
Gabriel Dolan [email protected] @GabrielDolan1
