Kericho: The National Government’s Inua Jamii programme continues to transform lives by providing regular financial support to older persons, orphans and children in need of care and protection, and persons with severe disabilities. Government records show that 26,879 elderly persons in Kericho County benefited from the programme, receiving a total of Sh93.314 million in cash transfers, with each registered beneficiary entitled to Sh2,000 every month.
According to Kenya News Agency, beneficiaries such as community elder Sylvester Turieny of Roret in Bureti Sub-County, find the monthly support provided through the Inua Jamii programme has become an essential lifeline. It offers regular financial assistance that helps him and other older persons meet some of their basic household needs. This support has provided a measure of stability to beneficiaries who often have limited and unreliable sources of income, enabling them to cope better with the day-to-day demands of life.
Turieny, who has lived in the country since independence, highlighted how the regular payments have eased some of the financial pressure faced by elderly people, particularly those whose ability to earn a livelihood has diminished with age. He emphasized that regular government support not only helps beneficiaries meet immediate needs but also gives them a greater sense of inclusion and reassurance, particularly at a stage of life when opportunities to generate independent income are limited.
Commenting on the just-concluded presidential development tour of Kericho County, Turieny welcomed ongoing investments in roads, noting that improved connectivity had made it easier for residents to travel, transport farm produce, and access markets and essential services. Better roads, he said, have the potential to strengthen economic activity in rural areas by reducing the difficulties associated with movement, improving access to trading centers, and making it easier for farmers to get their produce to markets in a timely manner.
Turieny also commended the government’s efforts to expand healthcare access through SHA, urging it to consider free coverage for older persons to ease medical costs and enable them to access essential treatment when needed. As a former police officer in the Internal Security department during the administration of the late President Jomo Kenyatta, he encouraged the government to sustain efforts to address historical injustices, corruption, and impunity by strengthening institutions mandated to uphold accountability, justice, and the rule of law.
