Poor planning may ensure cash for needy scheme fails

With a touch of irony, the alleged mismanagement of Kazi kwa Vijana, a programme that provides brief manual work opportunities for the youth, has triggered the cynical expression: Kazi kwa vijana, pesa kwa wazee (work to youth, money to the old). It is more withering than PointBlank’s opinion on April 17 (Odd policy of duping youth while rewarding old people).

Nonetheless, this is informed by a trend where impressive programmes end up flopping remarkably after being taken over by a network of profiteers and corrupt officials.

Welfare programme

An example is the failed subsidised maize flour scheme, which left many of our readers hungry and angry (Good grief, is there a pledge the Coalition won’t break?, February 10). PointBlank has equally been pessimistic about the National Social Protection Policy, which aims at providing free food to the poor.

So, while we support the Saidia Jamii welfare programme, where the needy will be given a monthly stipend of Sh1,500, PointBlank hopes loopholes that allow coruption to thrive in such schemes have been sealed.