Sh12bn for the poor released

President Kenyatta Tuesday launched a cash safety net for old people, orphans and the disabled.

Some Sh12 billion will be given out this financial year to them, he said at Ihura stadium in Murang’a.

Those in the net were expected to increase to 454,000 households from 500 that were covered when the payout was started 10 years ago, he said.

The stipend had changed lives, according to the President. “It has reduced poverty, met the basic needs of the beneficiaries and increased households savings,” he said.

It must succeed and corruption will not be tolerated, the Head of State warned.

Government officials and grassroots leaders must involve the public and ensure fairness in identifyig those to be paid, he said.

“They must be registered according to need and the cash must reach them regularly and at the appropriate time,” he said, and warned that delays would not be entertained.

“As a government we have decided that we must take care of our senior citizens in the society,” said the President.

He urged Kenyans to pay taxes so the senior citizens can be paid.

“Let’s pay taxes promptly so that the projects we have initiated can continue without failure,” he said.

He urged those charged with collecting and handling taxes to be persons of integrity.

Deputy President William Ruto said the government had fulfilled one of the pledges the Jubilee coalition leaders made to Kenyans during campaigns before the last General Election.

He said this was the fifth of the promises the President had launched.

Mr Ruto said it would assist the country to have a safety net to assist the underprivileged to carry on with their lives.

Every constituency will get the cash allowance known as Inua Jamii. Safaricom’s M-Pesa mobile phone money transfer service will be used to distribute the money.