Orphans and vulnerable children, older persons and persons with severe disabilities in Kisii County have been called upon to enroll on the Inua Jamii cash programme.
Speaking to the press at Bosongo Chief’s camp in Kisii town, Kisii Central Deputy County Commissioner, Wilberforce Kilonzo said the registration exercise will be carried out for a period of 15 days at the various wards in the sub-county.
Kilonzo said the programme supports the most vulnerable members of the community by providing them with a stipend to cushion them from poverty and hunger and improve on their lives.
“I am asking the residents of Kisii, including those residing outside the county to travel home and take advantage of the 15-day registration that is being done at one’s county of origin,” he said.
The DCC pointed out that the process will be transparent and they hope to register eligible people at the scheduled time.
The eligibility criteria for orphans and vulnerable children include those from an extremely poor household with one or more orphans and vulnerable children as a permanent member; a household with a caregiver who is chronically ill and/or unable to perform his/her ordinary duties; a household not benefiting from any other government cash transfer programme with exception of older person cash transfer and must be a Kenyan citizen.
Similarly, persons with severe disabilities must be Kenyan citizens and not be benefitting from another government cash transfer with the exception of older persons’ cash transfer programme.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection defines severe disability as a person who requires permanent (24-hour) care and support including feeding, toiletry and protection from danger from themselves, other persons or the environment by a caregiver.
Older persons, are required to be Kenyan citizens aged 70 years and above, have a valid Kenyan Identity Card (ID) and not be receiving a pension.
According to Kisii Central Sub-County Director of Social Development, Robi Chacha, there has been a challenge in the previous registrations of older persons due to lack of IDs.
Chacha urged the older people without IDs to come with an abstract or copy of the original as well as a caregiver during the registration.
Recently, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection released about 2.8 billion for payment to beneficiaries already enrolled in the Inua Jamii programme and a further 4.3 million for Nutrition Improvement through Cash and Health Education (NICHE), which is a complimentary programme.
The funds were credited to the accounts of about 1 million Inua Jamii beneficiaries, with each beneficiary receiving Sh2000 being payment for July 2023.
Following President William Ruto’s directive, the beneficiaries will be receiving payments on a monthly basis.
By Mercy Osongo
