The government has disbursed Sh2.4 billion to more than 1.2 million vulnerable Kenyans under the Inua Jamii Cash Transfer Programme for the September 2025 payment cycle.
A dispatch from the State Department for Social Protection and Senior Citizen Affairs says the funds were released to support 1,212,670 beneficiaries enrolled in the programme.
Each beneficiary is receiving Sh2,000, with payments having commenced on October 6, 2025.
In Kajiado County, over 20,000 beneficiaries are receiving a combined monthly stipend of Sh 41,284,000.
County Coordinator of Social Development Services, Jimmy Njau Kamangi, said the funds are supporting 13,520 older persons, 6,241 orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs), and 888 persons with severe disabilities.
Kamangi said all beneficiaries in the county had been paid up to August, while the September disbursements are ongoing.
He noted that the programme has encountered several operational challenges, including poor mobile network coverage in remote areas and low literacy levels among some recipients, which affect their ability to access funds via mobile money platforms.
“Some young people have swindled money from caregivers, but we have replaced them. Payments are also sometimes made to deceased beneficiaries whose families fail to report,” he said.
The department is working with local administrators to ensure that new vulnerable persons are registered and that the funds reach the intended beneficiaries. Plans are also underway to roll out financial literacy training to help recipients manage their stipends and avoid exploitation.
Beneficiaries in Kajiado have welcomed the support, saying it has improved their quality of life.
“This money helps me buy food and pay for my medication. Before this programme, I sometimes went without meals, and my health suffered because I could not afford my medicines,” said Mary Naisula, 72, a resident of Purko ward in Kajiado Central.
Eighty-five-year-old Joseph Lekuton from Il Bissil said the funds had eased the burden of caring for his wife and three grandchildren. “I use the money to buy food, pay for my wife’s medication, and support my grandchildren’s schooling,” he said.
Caregivers said the funds had enabled them to meet basic household needs such as food, clothing, and cooking fuel. Many reported that the monthly stipends have helped reduce dependence on unreliable sources of income, thereby improving household stability.
Grace Naanyu, a caregiver from Kajiado East who looks after two orphaned children, said the support has been life-changing.
“Before the programme, I struggled to provide even one meal a day. Now, I can buy food and soap and even save a little for emergencies. The children are also back in school because I can afford uniforms and books,” she said.
The Inua Jamii Programme was launched in 2012 as part of the government’s efforts to strengthen the national social protection framework. Since its inception, the programme has expanded significantly and now supports over 1.76 million beneficiaries across the country.
By Ivy Asamba and Damaris Nyongesa
