Hundreds of older persons expecting a share of the government stipend have camped in Nyahururu town with complaints arising that they might have been struck off from the list of beneficiaries.
The older persons who were expecting to receive Sh12, 000 each being an accumulation of three cycles from September 2018, were a worried lot as banks turned them away claiming their accounts had not been credited.
“I have camped here for two days. Now the bank tells me my account balance is nil, whereas my registration into the programme last year was successful,” lamented Mr. Joseph Kamau from Shamata in Nyandarua County.
Another resident, Michael Kiragu decried the long bank queues only to be informed that he was not among the beneficiaries.
The beneficiaries to be were tossed between the Nyandarua North Social Services Office in the town and the banks to confirm their registration into the programmes with a number being turned away.
Over 5, 000 households in Nyandarua were expected to receive their share of the government’s Inua Jamii funds with payments having been rolled out on Monday.
The programs which include Cash Transfer (CT), Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC), People Living with Severe Disability (PWSD) and Older Persons cash transfer were to receive Sh12 billion countrywide with each receiving Sh12,000 for three cycles.
According to the County Director Children’s Services Mr. Jotham Kamau Kahihu, the Government stipend had delayed since September 2018 to pave way for a change in the processes, adding that the beneficiaries would now get their money through the banks they selected individually from among four banks.
“The delay in the process has been caused by the transition from an old system to a new system, hence the beneficiaries will be getting their money from person’s own account in the four selected banks that is Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), Equity bank, Cooperative bank and Post bank ,” said Kamau
Another beneficiary, Mrs. Martha Wanjiru from Silibwet in Oljoro-orok Constituency, Nyandarua County thanked the Government for the Inua Jamii program noting that it has helped her in a different way as she has managed to put up her house.
By David Njoroge/Cecilia Chege
