Govt dismisses claims of locking out retirees from Inua Jamii » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya Feb 24 – The government has refuted claims published by the Daily Nation alleging that retirees have been barred from the Inua Jamii cash transfer program due to a directive requiring all disbursements to be processed via M-Pesa.

In a statement, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, through the State Department for Social Protection and Senior Citizen Affairs, termed the newspaper’s headline, “Retirees Bear Brunt of Ruto M-Pesa Rule,” as misleading and inaccurate.

The ministry clarified that eligibility for the Inua Jamii program remains unchanged, stating that the initiative is exclusively for older persons aged 70 and above who are not beneficiaries of any government pension scheme, as well as for households with orphans, vulnerable children, and persons with severe disabilities.

“The claim that retirees have been locked out is false. Individuals receiving any form of government pension have never been eligible for the Inua Jamii programme,” said Principal Secretary Joseph Motari.

The ministry also defended the government’s shift to M-Pesa as the primary mode of disbursing funds, arguing that it enhances efficiency and accessibility for beneficiaries.

Contrary to the newspaper’s report, the ministry noted that beneficiaries without active M-Pesa lines can register at any Safaricom or M-Pesa agent countrywide without the need for long-distance travel.

The transition, which has seen Sh3.52 billion disbursed to 1.76 million households as of February 13, 2025, is being hailed as a major milestone in improving service delivery.

“Already, 1.5 million beneficiaries have accessed their funds through the eCitizen M-Pesa system within one week,” the statement added.

The government reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that all eligible beneficiaries receive their stipends seamlessly, urging the media to verify facts before publishing reports that may cause unnecessary panic among citizens.