Registration of beneficiaries for the Inua Jamii cash transfer programme has successfully kicked off in Kiharu constituency, Murang’a County. Inua Jamii is a government-funded initiative designed to provide monthly stipends of Sh2,000 to vulnerable citizens, including orphans and vulnerable children, elderly persons, and persons with severe disabilities. Speaking at the township chief’s camp, Kiharu Assistant County Commissioner (ACC) Esther Mwoto said the exercise will run until September 15 as the government seeks to update the list of beneficiaries. ‘The registration exercise has started well, and in spite of the short notice, the turnout has been very good,’ Mwoto said. The ACC explained that for the elderly, the beneficiary should have an original identity card, have been born before 1953, be over 70 years old, and have a caregiver who is not a beneficiary of the programme. ‘For the elderly, the programme targets Kenyan citizens aged 70 years and above who do not receive a pension and are not beneficiaries of any other government cash programme,’ she said. In regards to orphans and vulnerable children, the ACC said that children from poor households were eligible, adding that they need a caregiver who is not a beneficiary of any other government cash transfer programme. ‘For the orphans, further evaluation is going to be conducted to ensure credibility,’ she said, noting that the caregivers will be expected to present the deceased parent’s death certificates for verification. Mwoto further said that people with disabilities are expected to present their disability cards. The beneficiaries of the programme are expected to receive cash in their respective bank accounts every month instead of every two months, as was previously the norm, to cushion them from the tough economic times. Mwoto urged all eligible citizens and caregivers to ensure they are registered at the various registration centres in the division as early as possible so as to avoid long queues towards the end of the exercise.

Source: Kenya News Agency