Committee orders continuous registration of cash transfer beneficiaries despite concerns of budget constraints

Committee orders continuous registration of cash transfer beneficiaries despite concerns of budget constraints

𝐁𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫
𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟏𝟓, 𝟐0𝟐𝟓

A Parliamentary Committee has directed the State Department of Social Protection and Senior Citizen Affairs to embark on a continuous and timely registration of elderly persons under the Older Persons Cash Transfer Programme.

The directive by the Committee on Implementation came even as the State Department raised concerns that the Programme was cash-strapped after the House declined to enhance the Department's kitty in the recent approval of Supplementary Estimates II for 2024/2025 Financial Year. 

The Hon. Raphael Wanjala-led Committee was meeting officials from the State Department led by the Principal Secretary, Mr. Joseph Motari, for a status update on the implementation of a House resolution on the matter.

The House resolution follows the adoption of a Motion sponsored by Kilome Legislator, Hon. Thaddeus Nzambia, seeking the continuous and timely registration of elderly persons under the programme.

While issuing the directive, Hon. Wanjala told PS Motari that though the Department's kitty had not been enhanced, there was no excuse as to why registration should not continue as the House had resolved.

"PS, this is the Committee on Implementation. Our scope revolves around ensuring House Resolutions are implemented. I want to direct that you embark on registration, then we shall invite you together with the National Treasury in four week’s- time to review the matter," Hon. Wanjala directed.

PS Motari, however, informed the Committee that policy guidelines provide for cash transfer to senior citizens who are 70 years and above and not 65 as the House had directed.

"Hon. Chair, allow me to inform this Committee that the cash transfer Programme, as per the existing guidelines, starts at 70 and not 65," PS Motari explained.

Noting that statistics show that life expectancy in Kenya is about 66 years, the Members however emphasized that it was only prudent that the State Department lowers the eligible age for the programme to 65.

He further informed the Committee that even if that were possible, it was not possible to cover all the potential beneficiaries under this bracket due to budgetary constraints.

"Hon. Chair, funding has been a challenge. The President’s directive is that we make cash transfers before paying salaries. Unfortunately, due to budgetary challenges, I am only set to make the disbursements today, and I am doing them under the provisions of Article 223 because there’s no budget," the PS told the lawmakers.

Committee Members Hon. Komingoi Kibet (Bureti) and his Embakasi West counterpart Hon. Mark Mwenje sought to know if the Department has a mechanism to replace those who exit the system through natural attrition.

The lawmakers further asked the PS how the Department handles cases of persons who do not possess proper identification documents.

In response, the PS noted that through the support of the World Bank, the Department had established an Enhanced Single Registry with sufficient mechanisms to ensure that those that exit the system are replaced by those next in line.

Mombasa County MP, Hon. Zamzam Mohammed, and her Trans Nzoia counterpart, Hon. Lilian Siyoi, expressed concerns over the challenges faced by potential beneficiaries with disabilities or those too old to get to registration centers. They called on the Department to make personal home visits to ensure all those who require to be enrolled in the programme are considered.

"A good number of people with disabilities have been left out of registration on the basis that they do not have severe disabilities, which is discriminatory," observed Hon. Siyoi.

While acknowledging the profiling as discriminatory, the PS noted that the recently passed Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2023, sponsored by Sen. Crystal Asige, would eliminate the profiling and onboard all the potential beneficiaries regardless of their disabilities, once assented into law.

According to the PS, the programme supports an estimated 1,251,721 beneficiaries countrywide.