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The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, has clarified misleading headline published by the Daily Nation newspaper on Inua Jamii program; “Retirees Bear Brunt of Ruto M-Pesa Rule.”
The article erroneously claims that Retirees have been locked out of the Inua Jamii Programme due to a directive requiring all disbursements to be processed through mobile wallets.
The Ministry wishes to categorically refute these claims and provide the following clarifications:
1. Eligibility for the Inua Jamii Programme: The Inua Jamii Programme is a government-led cash transfer initiative that provides financial support to: Older persons aged 70 years and above who are NOT beneficiaries of any government pension scheme and must possess a valid Kenyan national ID. o Eligible Households with orphans and vulnerable children. o Eligible Households caring for persons with severe disabilities. Contrary to the assertions made in the article, individuals receiving any form of Government Pension are NOT eligible for the Inua Jamii cash transfer programme.
2. Transition to Mobile Money Payments: The government has adopted M-PESA as the primary mode of disbursing funds under the Inua Jamii Programme to improve efficiency, accessibility, and security. Beneficiaries who do not have an active M-PESA line are encouraged to register at any Safaricom or M-PESA agent countrywide. This eliminates the need for beneficiaries to travel long distances for SIM card registration, as inaccurately reported in the article.
3. Improved Access and Convenience: Under the previous bank payment system, beneficiaries were required to physically present themselves at bank branches and agents which was very expensive and inconvenient. The shift to mobile wallet disbursements ensures that beneficiaries can conveniently access their funds from the comfort of their homes or at the nearest M-PESA agent, significantly improving service delivery.
4. Recent Disbursement Performance: On Tuesday, 13th February 2025, the government successfully disbursed Ksh 3.52 billion to 1,760,079 households under the Inua Jamii Programme. Within one week, 1.5 million beneficiaries have already accessed their funds through the ecitizen M-PESA system. This transition marks a major milestone in enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of government cash transfer programs.
5. All beneficiaries with a valid identity card whether 7 or eight 8 digits are eligible to register telephone lines to receive their stipends. The government remains committed to ensuring that all eligible beneficiaries.
The government remains committed to ensuring that all eligible beneficiaries continue to receive their rightful entitlements promptly and efficiently.