A woman aged 115 years in Kisii County has appealed for help to recover her national identity and ATM cards from her grandchildren, so that she can access the government’s cash for the elderly.
In what has caused fears that national government’s financial support to vulnerable groups may not be reaching the intended beneficiaries, Sabina Mong’ina Makori from Bokimweri village, Sameta Sub County, has neither food, nor proper housing or pit latrine despite the government’s cash transfer of Sh. 2000 to her account every month.
Speaking to the press at her home in Sameta Mokwerero ward on Saturday one grandson Geoffrey Otundo said the octogenarian mother of 4 is living with minimal support from the family, as they struggle with menial jobs to sustain themselves.
Otundo explained that his cousins took her vital documents which she must use to access the governments cash, and lamented so far her relatives were not able to do anything about the culprits.
Her caregiver grandchild Eldah Moraa said they often slept hungry and hardly acquired soap to bath her and clean her tattered clothes.
She appealed to the government to intervene so that her granny who was widowed 29 years ago can enjoy the government’s support in her remaining days considering her old age.
Social worker Dominic Nyaberi decried the deplorable conditions the elderly granny was living in, saying he had not seen such in the 145 homes he had visited during his line of duty in the last five years.
Nyaberi appealed to relatives of such vulnerable persons to be responsible lest they attract curses for mishandling them and their deserved property.
He appealed to the local administrators to monitor any support given to the needy persons and ensure they reach the intended target.
Sameta Deputy County Commissioner, Mary Kamau said the case had come to her notice and with the office of Gender and Social Services, had moved to identify a different care taker who would be monitored.
Kamau said efforts were being made to arrest the suspects who will be ordered to repay all the money they have stolen from the elderly woman.
The cash transfer to poor and vulnerable older persons aged 65 years and above who comprise of over 45,000 Kisii population is done in identified deserving households and delivered every two months through payment appointed agents, Equity and Kenya Commercial Banks.
Kamau added that monitoring will also be done for cash transfer to families with orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs), which is meant to encourage and foster retention of such children to their families and communities for benefits of promoting their human capital development.
By Jane Naitore
