The Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA) has partnered with Huduma Centre in holding a five-day outreach programme meant to sensitise members of the public on issues about retirement schemes.
Speaking during an opening ceremony held at Meru Huduma Centre grounds, RBA’s Market Conduct, Industry, and Development Director Tom Kiptanui said they aimed to reach out to Kenyans and tell them how they could save for their future.
“As an institution, we are ready to work with Huduma centers closely to ensure that we address any issues Kenyans may have regarding how they can join retirement schemes or complaints in the schemes that they are already in,” said Mr Kiptanui.
He said RBA already has assets of over Sh2.3 trillion saved by Kenyans in various schemes and their responsibility is to make sure they are safe, and more importantly, make sure that this money is paid out within 30 days of retirement as required by law, regardless of whether one takes early or late retirement.
“Apart from coming out for the outreach to tell Kenyans how important it is to save, it’s good also to address the issues they have been facing with their respective schemes and this is why these five days will be very critical,” he said.
“We desire that going on, we will not have these clinics but ensure we have our presence within Huduma Centres all over the country to conveniently serve beneficiaries,” said Kiptanui.
He encouraged members of the public to take advantage of the five days to have their issues sorted out, including those who have not joined pension schemes.
“We have had challenges in terms of remittances in some pension schemes and these are mainly quasi-government institutions like universities and local authorities, where money has not been coming in as required,” he noted.
“It’s something we have noted and we are engaging with the various trustees and employers to make sure they put in place interventions that will make sure the funds are remitted in time,” said Kiptanui.
He said they were aware that there have been challenges where even trustees give them plans on how to deal with the issue of remittance but at times those plans don’t seem to work out.
“As an institution, we are going out to see ways in which we can amend the laws to invite agencies that can recover these funds from various employers,” he said.
“Proposals have been put to The National Treasury and one of them is working closely with the Kenya Revenue Authority to help us recover these funds from institutions who have challenges in terms of remitting,” said Kiptanui.
He said they desired that no member who has contributed to a scheme stays longer than 30 days from when they retire without getting their benefits.
“We have also noted that most Kenyans are not aware of platforms available for them to air their grievances when they retire and that was one of the reasons for having the outreach.
Please don’t stay at home and say my money has not been paid. Reach out to RBA and we will be able to follow up on behalf and ensure money will be paid on time,” Kiptanui said.
Huduma Centre Secretariat Chief Executive Officer Mr Ben Kai Chilumo said there were 58 centers in the country and each has all the government agencies offering services conveniently to the members of the public.
“We are here today in partnership with RBA in ‘huduma mashinani’ programme, an initiative of Huduma Kenya so they can talk to Kenyans on how to save for their future. In our centres, we have organisations registered with RBA to offer pension plans, including the National Social Security Fund and the Government Pension Scheme. So, if you are a civil servant, you don’t have to go to Nairobi because there are these agents in every Huduma Centre,” said Chilumo.
He said at the moment, retirees don’t have to travel to Nairobi to claim their benefits but could visit any Huduma Centre and present their retirement papers for their benefits to be processed.
By Dickson Mwiti
