Kenya’s Ministry of Labour and Social Protection will switch the mode of payment for the Inua Jamii cash transfer programme from bank accounts to M-PESA, a mobile money service.
The change will affect the beneficiaries of the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) and Persons with Severe Disabilities (PWSD) cash transfer programmes, who will be required to enrol for M-PESA disbursements by the end of January 2024.
The ministry said that the switch to MPesa will improve the efficiency, convenience, and security of cash transfers, as well as reduce the transaction costs and delays associated with bank accounts.
“The first phase of M-PESA payments commences for OVC-CT and PwSD-CT. Older Persons Cash Transfer (OP-CT) beneficiaries will continue to receive their funds through their bank accounts as usual,” Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection Florence Bore said via a statement.
However, the beneficiaries of the Older Persons Cash Transfer (OPCT) programme will continue to receive their payments through bank accounts.
The Inua Jamii cash transfer programme is a social protection initiative that provides regular and predictable cash transfers to poor and vulnerable households in Kenya. The programme aims to reduce poverty, hunger, and inequality, as well as promote human development and social inclusion.
According to the ministry, the December 2023 disbursement for the Inua Jamii cash transfer programme amounted to Kes 2.089 billion, benefiting 1.1 million households.
The ministry also disbursed Kes 5.93 million for the Nutrition Improvement Programme, which targets children under five years and pregnant and lactating women in selected counties.