The State Department for Social Protection and Senior Citizen Affairs targets to register over 3500 new beneficiaries of the Inua Jamii – Cash transfer initiative in Narok County.
Speaking during the registration launch at Narok Town Chief’s office, Narok County Commissioner Mr. Isaac Masinde called on all elders who have attained 70 years and above to register so as to benefit from the Sh2, 000 monthly stipends that will be given to each beneficiary.
Also benefiting from the money are Orphans and Vulnerable Children and Persons with Severe disability. “Your Identification card should prove that you are over 70 years old. Some people may look old but according to their IDs, they have not attained 70 years,” he said.
Narok Children’s Officer Pilot Khaemba said about 5, 000 people are already benefiting in the three programs in the county, saying those who are already registered do not need to register again.
He said that the cash transfer for orphans and vulnerable children (CT-OVC) is for extremely poor households with one or more orphans or from a household where a caregiver is chronically ill and is unable to perform his or her ordinary duties.
The households benefiting from the program, he said, should not be benefiting from any other government cash transfer with exception of older person cash transfer programme.
The Children’s Officer warned the members of the public not to give any form of money to benefit from the funds challenging the residents to report any officer who attempt to seek to solicit for money so as give services.
“The programme will run from September 1st to September 30th. For the elders who cannot travel to the registration centres, our officers will be visiting them in their specific homes so as to register them,” he said.
Julius Ntayia, the Narok County Coordinator of National Council of Persons with Disability (NCPLwD) said some 449 new beneficiaries up from 521 people taking care of people living with severe disability will benefit.
Ntayia called on Chiefs and village elders to help in identifying persons living with severe disability, who are totally dependent on another person for their livelihood, and have never been registered in the program.
Josphat Mungai, 70, who came to enroll in the program thanked the Kenya Kwanza government for the initiative and promised to support all its programs so that they can develop all parts of the country.
By Ann Salaton
