Senior citizens will start registering for monthly stipends beginning September 1, 2023 after the cabinet endorsed the decision during a meeting at Sagana State Lodge on Tuesday.
President William Ruto, presiding over the cabinet meeting, reaffirmed the government's commitment to upholding the dignity of senior citizens through the Inua Jamii Program.
The cabinet's official statement emphasised that the initiative serves as a gesture to honour the elderly people's contribution to society.
Persons with disabilities and vulnerable households will also be eligible for the monthly stipend.
The upcoming government registration drive aims to provide financial assistance to over 2 million Kenyan citizens.
Presently, the Inua Jamii Program benefits 1.2 million individuals, including 353,000 orphans, 47,000 individuals with severe disabilities, and the remaining being senior citizens.
“These transformative actions strengthen Kenya’s socio-economic fabric by fostering inter-generational equity through an improved framework for social protection,” a dispatch from the cabinet read in part.
Last month, Ruto assured Inua Jamii beneficiaries that they will promptly receive their monthly stipends after a bout of delays.
“If there are people who deserve our support, it is vulnerable in society,” the President remarked while making the promise.
The social protection program was one of the key resolutions made by the cabinet in line with President William Ruto’s economic agenda.
During the meeting, it was also agreed that the government will equip the youth with the requisite skills to enhance their competitiveness in the job market and enable them to carve a niche for themselves as entrepreneurs.
Following the cabinet's approval, the Kenya Youth Empowerment and Opportunity Project (KYEOP) will be elevated to the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA), targeting youth aged between 18 and 35 in all 47 counties.
