Kenya has initiated plans to create a law that will see poor and vulnerable persons are supported financially in what seems like an upgrade of the corruption-riddled Inua Jamii Programme.
In the draft, Public Finance Management (Social Assistance Fund) Regulations, 2019 published by the National Treasury for public participation, the initial capital of the kitty shall be Sh2 billion to be appropriated by the Parliament in the current financial year.
The objects and purpose of the fund is to provide funding for the provision of social assistance for poor and vulnerable persons, and in particular to provide for the development and promotion of social assistance programmes and initiatives in the country.
‘’Pursuant to Section 4 (a) and 5 (3) (a) and (b) of the Statutory Instrument Act, 2013, the National Treasury invites interested members of the public to submit any comments or inputs or memoranda they may have on the said Regulations,’’ principal secretary Treasury Julius Muia said.
The fund will be managed by a board to be led by a chairperson to be appointed by the President from outside the public service on the recommendation of the cabinet secretary responsible for matters relating to social assistance.
According to the draft law, only poor orphans and vulnerable children; poor elderly persons; poor persons with disability and persons in extreme poverty qualify for the fund.
Any other person will benefit from the kitty if recommended by the Social Assistance Fund board to the Treasury CS for the time being responsible for matters relating to social assistance and published by a way of notice in the Gazette.
A person shall not be eligible for social assistance under these Regulations if that person benefits from any other fund or programme, either public or private, which provides social assistance.
The administration expenses of the fund shall not be more than three per cent of the approved budget of each financial year.
Launched in 2012 as a fund to cushions old citizens from harsh economic time, Inua Jamii, which targets 1,233,129 people, including 833,129 orphans, 47,000 people living with disability and 350,000 senior citizens aged above 70 years has since disbursed about Sh125 billion.
The auditor general report issued in February, however, indicated that the government could have lost Sh12.6 billion since inception through fraud.
In a report, the outgoing Auditor General Edward Ouko said employees steal Sh300 million every two months, enough to benefit close to 60,000 old persons if put to good use.
Ouko said Ministry of Labour and Social Protection lacks sufficient data and documentation on the project and recommended the whole programme investigated.
