Audit reveals Inua Jamii paid stipends to 'dead' beneficiaries

Labour and Social Protection PS Joseph Motari said the government was unknowingly paying stipends to ineligible individuals. [File, Standard]

It has now emerged that at least 100,000 ineligible Kenyans received payments under the Inua Jamii Cash Transfer Programme.

Principal Secretary for Social Protection and Senior Citizens Affairs, Joseph Motari, on Thursday said that an audit uncovered that the Kenyan government was unknowingly paying stipends to ineligible individuals.

“We discovered we were sending money to people who are no longer in the system,” said Motari during a press briefing in Nairobi.

“It was necessary to pause payments and clean up the data. Over 100,000 people who were still listed had left the system, but funds were still being disbursed to them.”

PS Motari said that a recent system audit exposed widespread irregularities in the programme’s beneficiary database.

The audit, described by PS as a "deep dive" into payment data, uncovered that tens of thousands of recipients were either deceased or otherwise no longer qualified for the government’s cash transfer.

The discovery came amid rising concerns over large volumes of “clawback” funds — payments sent out but returned due to inactive or untraceable accounts.

According to PS Motari, this pattern prompted a comprehensive review by officers across the country.

The findings have now sparked questions about the oversight and accountability mechanisms in place for one of Kenya’s flagship social protection programmes.

Launched to support vulnerable groups, including older persons, people with severe disabilities, and orphans, the Inua Jamii programme disburses monthly stipends of Sh2,000 to each approved beneficiary.

As a result of the clean-up, PS said that the government temporarily delayed the June 2025 payment cycle.

He said that payments resumed this week with beneficiaries receiving Sh4,000, covering both June and July.

“We apologise to beneficiaries for the inconvenience caused by the delay,” Motari said.

“But it was important to ensure we were only paying those who truly deserve it,” he added.

The PS said that some Sh4.6 billion  has been disbursed to benefit some 1.1 million Kenyans.

He said that ministry is rolling out strict vetting of beneficiaries.

Motari clarified that age alone, such as being over 70 years, would no longer be sufficient to qualify for support. Only those verified to be poor and vulnerable will be enrolled.

“There are people out there who cannot afford Sh50. Those are the people this programme is meant for, not individuals with assets or well-off families,” he said.

To reduce fraud and improve efficiency, PS said, the government has also transitioned all Inua Jamii payments from banks to mobile money platforms like M-Pesa and the e-Citizen portal.

This change eliminates the need for long queues at banks and ensures that beneficiaries receive funds directly on their phones.

Motari further urged all beneficiaries to register with the Social Health Authority (SHA) to access government-supported healthcare services.

He noted that the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Protection are collaborating closely to enrol vulnerable Kenyans in SHA.

The government has already received over 90,000 names from SHA for follow-up and outreach.

Motari also issued a stern warning to individuals exploiting elderly beneficiaries, particularly in Kilifi and Kisii counties, where there have been reports of attacks and killings linked to cash transfers.

“We will not tolerate any abuse of our senior citizens. The government will take serious legal action against anyone who targets them for their stipends,” he said.

President William Ruto recently assented to the Disability Act 2025 and the Social Protection Act 2025, which provide a stronger legal framework to safeguard the rights and welfare of vulnerable citizens.

Motari said the laws will be actively enforced and are not just symbolic.

“Our mission is clear, to protect the poor and lift them out of poverty. This money is not charity; it’s a tool for justice,” he asserted.