The Government of Kenya (GoK) has over time implemented numerous social protection interventions aimed at improving the livelihood of its citizens. Despite these efforts, a substantial population remains exposed to poverty owing to various vulnerabilities. Evidence shows that the poor cannot cope with economic, social, natural and covariate shocks without consistent support. In this regard, the Government is implementing cash transfer programmes targeting poor and vulnerable groups through the State Department for Protection and Senior Citizen’s Affairs under the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection.

There are interventions being implemented towards attainment of the Sustainable development goals 1 and 2 of “End poverty in all its forms everywhere” and “Ensure Healthy Lives and Promote Well-being for all at all Ages.”

In 2013 the Government established the National Safety Net Programme (NSNP) to provide an operating framework for the four (4) cash transfer (CT) programmes, which are: The Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (CT-OVC); the Older Persons Cash Transfer (OP-CT); the Persons with Severe Disabilities Cash Transfer (PwSD-CT) and the Hunger Safety Net Programme (HSNP). The CT-OVC, OP-CT, and the PwSD-CT programmes are implemented by the State Department for Social Protection. The HSNP is implemented by the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA). The Three CT programmes were previously managed by the then Department of Children’s Services and Department of Social Development, which led to high levels of inter-programme duplication of activities, beneficiaries’ double dipping and inefficiency in utilization of resources. To address these issues the Consolidation Strategy 2016 was developed. This Strategy recommended the consolidation of CT-OVC, OP-CT and PWSD-CT (Consolidated Cash Transfer Programme) under the then Social Assistance Unit.

 In December 2020 the SAU was upgraded to the Directorate of Social Assistance (DSA) to coordinate implementation of the three programmes at the National Level. The Ministry has also introduced complementary programmes e.g. Nutrition Improvement through Cash and Health Education (NICHE), Economic Inclusion Programme (EIP), Universal Child benefit (UCB) and Mwangaza Mashinani that enhance the quality of the cash transfer programmes. 

The cash transfers are anchored on the Constitution of Kenya Sub article 43 on Economic and social rights, Sub article 1(e). The Kenya Vision 2030, under social pillar in promoting equality, access, control and participation in resource distribution for improved livelihoods of women, youth and vulnerable groups.

Cash Transfer Programmes in the ML&SP

The CCTP is being implemented in the 290 Constituencies in the 47 Counties. The cash transfer targets orphans and vulnerable children, older persons and persons with severe disabilities as per set criteria. The selection of the beneficiaries is based on prevailing poverty indicators and vulnerability. Below is a description of each programme.

The Cash Transfer programme for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (CT-OVC) 

In response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the Government with support from the Development Partners (DPs) launched the CT-OVC programme in 2004. The aim was to support households living with and taking care of OVC. The initial pilot targeted 500 households in the then three districts of Kwale, Garissa and Nairobi. The overall objective of the programme is to encourage fostering and retention of OVCs within their families and communities, and to promote their human capital development. Specifically, the programme aims to:

i)  Increase the enrolment, attendance and transition of OVCs in basic education;

ii) Reduce the rates of mortality and morbidity in children aged five years and under, particularly through increasing the uptake of immunization, growth monitoring and vitamin A supplementation;

iii) Promote household food consumption and food security;

iv) Encourage civil registration of children and caregivers; and

v) Improve household knowledge and appropriate case management for individuals with special needs through coordination with other service providers.

The set eligibility criteria for the CT-OVC programme include:

i) Extremely poor Kenyan household with one or more OVCs as a permanent member;

ii) A household with a caregiver who is chronically ill and unable to perform his/her duties;

iii) A household not benefiting from any social assistance programme with exception of a household having OP-CT beneficiary; and

iv) A household that has resided in a particular location for more than a year.

At the completion of the pilot project in 2007, approximately 13,280 households were receiving CTs in 17 districts. In financial year 2007/08, GoK funding was increased, and by 2008/09 the number of households rose to 45,911. In financial year 2009/10 World Bank (IDA Credit) came on board, and the number of households covered increased to 82,371. Similarly, in financial year 2010/11 DfID (WBTF) came on board, and the number of households covered rose to 124,991. From financial years 2011/12 to 2012/2013, the programme expanded to cover 144,931 and 152,323 households respectively. During the financial year 2013/2014, the GoK became the major contributor to the CT-OVC programme while UNICEF exited from funding the cash transfer. In financial years 2015/16 to 2016/17, the number of beneficiary households further rose to 255,608 and 353,000, respectively.

The Older Persons Cash Transfer programme (OP-CT)

The programme started in 2007/08 on a pilot basis targeting 300 households in the then three districts of Thika, Nyando and Busia. The overall objective was to improve livelihoods of poor households with persons aged 65 years and above.

The specific objective of the programme was to:

i) provide a regular source of income for households taking care of persons aged 65 years and above; and

ii) Reduce mortality of 65 years and above older persons.

In 2009/10, it was scaled up to 33,000 households in 44 districts, which was further increased to 36,036 households in 2011/12. Over the next four financial years, the GoK embarked on a major expansion of the OP-CT which saw the number of beneficiary households covered in all constituencies as follows: 59,000 in 2012/13, 164,000 households in 2013/14, 210,000 in 2014/15, and 310,000 in 2015/16. The current number of older persons in the programme is 833,129.

The eligibility criteria for OP-CT previously were:

i) An extremely poor household with a Kenyan citizen aged 65 years and above;

ii) A household not enrolled in any other CT programme; 

iii) A household with no member receiving a pension; and

iv) A household that has resided in a particular location for more than a year.

However, in 2017, through a Presidential directive the OPCT was enhanced and changed from being a targeted household based programme for persons aged 65 years and above to a universal benefit for persons aged 70 years and above. Consequently, the eligibility criteria for registration of 70 years and above programme beneficiaries also changed to the following: 

i) One must be a Kenyan citizen aged 70 years and above and a holder of a valid Kenyan National Identification Card (ID);

ii) Should have a caregiver with a valid Kenyan National ID; and

iii) The person should be a resident in a particular location for a minimum of a year.

N.B.: 

a) Priority will be given to those not receiving pension; and

b) An OPCT beneficiary can be a caregiver of PWSD-CT or CT-OVC Programme.

The Person with Severe Disability Cash Transfer Programme (PwSD-CT) 

The objective of the programme is to enhance the capacities of the caregivers to improve the livelihoods of persons with severe disabilities (PWSDs) and mitigating the effects of disability on the households.

The programme started in 2010 covering 2,100 beneficiaries in the then 210 constituencies. It was scaled-up to cover 14,700 beneficiaries in financial year 2011/12. In financial year 2013/14, the programme enrolled an additional 12,500 new beneficiaries bringing the total number to 27,200 beneficiaries. In the financial year 2015/16, the programme further expanded to cover 47,000 beneficiaries.

The eligibility criteria for PwSD-CT include:

i) An extremely poor household with a person(s) with severe disability;

ii) A household not enrolled in any programme with exception of an OPCT beneficiary;

iii) The beneficiary is a Kenyan citizen; and

iv) The household should have been in existence in that location for a minimum of 1 year.

Nutrition Improvements through Cash and Health Education (NICHE)

NICHE is a cash plus complimentary programme whose aim is to cushion Inua Jamii Households that have a pregnant woman or a child under the age of two years. It combines social protection, nutrition, and child protection programming to ensure multi-sectoral and integrated service delivery in the five (5) ASAL pilot counties of Kitui, Kilifi, Marsabit, Turkana and West Pokot. NICHE is implemented under the Directorate of Children Services.

Economic Inclusion Programme (EIP)

EIP is a pilot complementary programme that focuses on enabling the extremely poor households to participate in social and economic activities by increasing their access to skills, productive inputs, assets, finance and economic opportunities. The goal of EIP is to increase access to social economic inclusion interventions for the extremely poor and vulnerable persons in Kenya. The pilot programme covers ten sub-counties in five counties: Marsabit, Kisumu, Taita Taveta, Makueni and Murang’a. The programme is implemented by the Directorate of Social Development in the State Department of Social Security and Protection. It targets households benefiting from the Inua Jamii cash transfer programmes as well as non-recipient of cash transfer households that meet the selection criteria.

Universal Child Benefit (UCB)

The UCB programme is a pilot that was developed in the Covid-19 context for 12 months in selected areas (Embu, Kisumu and Kajiado Counties). The purpose of the UCB pilot is to:

i) Cushion children aged 0-36 months and their families from the lasting socio-economic impacts of the Covid-19 crisis;

ii) Generate lessons for the introduction of a long-term UCB; and

iii) Strengthen advocacy efforts and visibility for the UCB.