While the government deserves praise for initiating several key programmes to improve the welfare of the disadvantaged groups, they have not worked as well as they should. As a result, the welfare fund that targets to benefit a million Kenyans and make their lives a little more liveable is being accessed by fewer would-be beneficiaries. The initiatives need to be streamlined to achieve their objectives.
The Inua Jamii programme, which targets 1,233129 people, including 833,129 orphans and other vulnerable children, senior citizens above 70 years (350,000) and 47,000 people living with disabilities, has since its inception disbursed Sh125 billion, making a huge difference in their lives. Administrative hitches often occur as part of the teething challenges that are common in such initiatives. But there is adequate expertise in the public sector to cope with the challenges.
According to State Department of Social Services Principal Secretary Nelson Marwa, for instance, some 10,917 registered beneficiaries that were paid stipends worth Sh113 million last March, failed to turn up to collect Sh87 million for the March-April and May-June cycles. In a sector known for endemic corruption, such an anomaly must set the alarm bells ringing. If it is the case of some shortcomings in the management of this vital fund, then they should be urgently and comprehensively addressed.
It is for this reason that we fully welcome the review of the fund’s operations that is scheduled to start on August 4 and end on August 17. That should be sufficient time to vet and clear any cobwebs to ensure that the programme works seamlessly for the benefit of these people who badly need the money to sustain the little improvements recorded in their welfare.
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