Kazungu Kambi: Cash for the elderly to be secured

Kenya: The Government is considering disbursing stipends to the elderly and persons with severe disabilities through electronic means to arrest rampant abuse of the social welfare programme.

Labour Cabinet Secretary Kazungu Kambi yesterday told a Senate committee that the ministry was keen on sealing loopholes which had been identified under the current manual system, which had led to irregular and delayed payments and corruption.

The CS told the Labour committee that the ministry was employing an electronic system, where biometric data of recipients will be captured to seal loopholes being used by those abusing the process.

The current system has been criticised, with many complaints launched of beneficiaries who suddenly disappear from manual registers and their payments diverted to other people.

“The development of the electronic system is intended to address these delivery challenges including unreliable data, irregular, inaccurate or delayed payments and incorrect beneficiary identification,” said Mr Kambi.

The cabinet secretary revealed that Sh13.5 billion had been spent on both programmes.

• .

  Keep Reading

• 
  Case lifts the lid on sex slavery in 'massage parlours' in the country
• 
  Seek High Court's take on protests, lobby group told
• 
  Iran closed nuclear facilities in wake of Israel attack: IAEA chief
• 
  Sugar cane farmers should now move to dairy, avocado farming

The welfare programme for the elderly was initiated in the 2007/2008 financial year on pilot basis while that for persons with severe disabilities was introduced in 2010/2011.