The government has released Sh8.6 billion for the cash transfer programme for the elderly, orphans and the disabled, ending a six-month wait.
The director of social assistance under the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Judy Tuda said in a statement the disbursement will cover the July-August and September-October 2022 cycles.
“This is to inform you that the government has released Sh8,577,808,000 as payment to 1,072,226 Inua Jamii cash transfer programme beneficiaries currently on payroll and the disbursements will be through the contracted Payment Service Providers,” reads the statement in part.
“This payment is scheduled to commence on Monday, January 9, 2023, with each beneficiary receiving Sh8,000.”
Ms Tuda noted that the payment will be inclusive of the Sh8.4 million 400,500 complimentary top-ups to 4,549 beneficiaries of the Nutrition Improvement through Cash and Health Education (NICHE) scheme that is designed to boost the nutritional status of children in their first 1,000 days of life.
The latest disbursement comes amid fears that the programme was facing closure after it emerged that President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration had not wired a cent since taking office on September 13 last year.
The state department of social protection has however come out to allay the fears saying the delay had been occasioned within the National Treasury due to transition protocols.
The fund, which was launched in 2015 by retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, sees beneficiaries take home a Sh2,000 stipend monthly as a cushion against hunger and poverty vulnerabilities.
