Elderly people who are gradually attaining 70 years in Kiambu County after the exercise in which they benefit some stipends from the Government kicked off in 2018 are appealing to the government to put them on board.
The demands of the elderly to be included in the ongoing program were aired during the Mashujaa day celebrations held at Ndumberi stadium by scores of leaders who addressed the celebrations which were well attended by both young and elderly residents.
They have reportedly been making endless visits to the offices of their area members of County assemblies and the chiefs in Kikuyu, Ting’ang’a and Ndumberi location where they have been availing their identity cards to confirm their ages.
Ndumberi Member of County Assembly (MCA) Mr. Kimani Ranji (aka) Kamaguru opened the can of worms when he was given an opportunity to address the celebrants. “Now this program that gives our elderly money should not be discriminative as it should enroll everyone who attains the age of 70 years” he said amid ululations from the crowd.
He revealed that he had been receiving complaints from the elderly after they attained 70 years seeking to be enrolled in to the programme so that they too could enjoy from the stipends from the government. “In a week I receive about 2 to 3 people seeking to be put on the program that is intended to alleviate poverty amongst the senior members of the society” he said
County Commissioner for Kiambu also supported elderly people who want to be registered in the program for the elderly so that they can benefit from fort stipends.Mr. Wilson Wanyanga in his address during the celebrations and today’s CDICC meeting at his office, said the elderly were right in their pursuit to be captured in the program.
He promised to liaise with heads of the line departments with a view of enabling them to be captured so that they could have some money for sustaining themselves without relying on their community. The administrator however advised those who were already benefitting not to be wasteful in their expenditures.
He said it was prudent for them to only opt to spend on the very important items and services that could sustain them for the period preceding the payments.
The payment is at times delayed and the CC advised them to embrace prudent financial management which could allow them to save for a long term project as they continued to support themselves.
While responding on the issue, Kiambu County social services coordinator Ms. Mary Nyambura Mwangi talking to KNA from her office in Kiambu said there were better plans to improve on the programme which was universal.
She explained that there were plans of empowering the elderly both socially and economically through a world bank programme which was agricultural based. She said the programme would be given priority in that it would aim at empowering the entire family members instead of giving them monthly stipends.
The social services coordinator however called on those in question to remain calm as issues of targeting and budgeting would take some time before they were brought on board. She added that the government was looking into more sustainable ways of carrying on with the programmes so that the beneficiaries would not stay for a long time without receiving their dues.
By Lydia Shiloya
