Boost for the elderly as State releases Sh1.67 billion
Elderly people wait to receive their monthly stipend in Molo, Nakuru County. The office of the Auditor-General wants the State to carry out a review of the payment process to the Older Persons Cash Transfer. PHOTO | FILE | NMG
What you need to know:
- The cash transfer programme was launched last week by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The money will be paid to 411,013 beneficiaries, who opened their bank accounts last month.
However, about 100,000 old people are yet to open accounts into which the money will be wired.
The government has released Sh1.67 billion for senior citizens aged 70 and above.
The cash transfer programme was launched last week by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The money will be paid to 411,013 beneficiaries, who opened their bank accounts last month.
Each of the beneficiaries will receive Sh4, 000 for January and February, according to documents released by the State Department of Social Protection, Pensions and Senior Citizens.
Further disbursements will be made to cover the rest of the period until this month from the Sh6.5 billion allocated in this financial year’s budget.
In all, the government expects to pay all the 523,129 senior citizens who registered under the programme last year.
OPEN ACCOUNTS
However, about 100,000 old people are yet to open accounts into which the money will be wired.
When launching the programme last week in Meru, President Kenyatta said it would ensure that senior citizens live in dignity by being able to afford some level of financial independence
“This programme will ensure that our senior citizens get a Sh4,000 stipend (every two months) to live a dignified life,” he said.
Last year, President Kenyatta announced the expansion of the programme into one that provides cash transfers to all the vulnerable persons of 70 years and above, which was to start at the beginning of this year.
BENEFICIARIES
The Ministry of Labour, through the State Department of Social Protection, Pensions and Senior Citizens Affairs, undertook the registration of persons above 70 between July and August last year. A total of 523,129 new beneficiaries were successfully registered
In April and May this year, the ministry validated and enrolled 411,013 new beneficiaries through the electronic bank account opening countrywide.
To ensure timely, accessible, transparent and accountable payments to the beneficiaries, the State Department recruited four payment service providers (Equity Bank, Postbank, Co-operative Bank and Kenya Commercial Bank).
BANK ACCOUNTS
They have opened bank accounts for the 411,013 beneficiaries.
From October, the current 710,000 beneficiaries of the three cash transfer programmes (orphans and vulnerable children cash transfer, older persons cash transfer and persons with severe disability), will also be electronically enrolled by the four banks and their accounts opened.
