Inua Jamii beneficiaries in Igembe South Sub County, Meru County, have turned out in large numbers for the ongoing proof-of-life verification exercise, aimed at confirming that registered beneficiaries were still alive and ensuring government cash transfers reach the rightful recipients.
Speaking at Maua Stadium Friday, where the exercise was being conducted, Igembe South Social Development Officer Victor Murithi said more than 1,200 beneficiaries had been registered since the exercise began on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
Murithi noted that the turnout had been increasing by day, as more beneficiaries presented themselves for verification.
He explained that the exercise also seeks to update programme records and address cases where cash transfers may continue to be received on behalf of deceased beneficiaries whose deaths have not been reported to the relevant authorities.
The officer said the exercise targets senior citizens and beneficiaries under the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) programme.
“The verification process involves physical appearance, scanning of original national identity cards, fingerprint scanning and facial verification,” he said.
Murithi explained that the exercise is mobile to bring the services closer to beneficiaries and ease the burden of travelling to the social development office, particularly for elderly people and those living in remote areas.
He said the team had so far covered eight locations in Igembe South and would ensure that all locations are visited before the exercise ends.
The officer noted that beneficiaries face several challenges in accessing verification services, including high transport costs, old age, illness and unpredictable weather conditions, which can make travelling difficult, especially for those with limited mobility.
He added that taking the exercise closer to beneficiaries would help reduce the difficulties associated with travelling long distances to the social development office and improve access to the verification process.
Murithi warned that beneficiaries who fail to present themselves for verification risk being removed from the programme’s records once the exercise is finalised.
He urged all beneficiaries who had not yet undergone the exercise to take advantage of the remaining period to ensure they are verified to avoid being left out of the programme.
The officer, however, assured beneficiaries that the ongoing verification exercise would not affect the normal payment schedule for the Inua Jamii programme.
The exercise which began on October 1 is scheduled to run throughout the month.
By Kamanja Maeria
