Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1183386,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1183386/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 48,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Loima, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Protus Akujah",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "transfers programmes in Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) areas. Under the safety net programme, commonly known as HSNP, is one of the cash transfer programmes implemented by the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) under their national safety net programmes collectively called Inua Jamii . It is aimed at ensuring well-targeted use of cash transfer programmes to support some of the most vulnerable and poor households in the country. However, these funds do not achieve their intended objectives because unscrupulous agents subcontracted by banks to pay beneficiaries have monopolised the machines for cash withdrawals and force the beneficiaries to buy and borrow goods from their shops at exorbitant prices to exploit them. The National Drought Management Authority offices are located in Lodwar town in Turkana County and the beneficiaries incur high traveling costs from far-flung areas or regions to report cases and access basic services like applying and replacing Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards. The beneficiaries who include the disabled and elderly lack the capacity to participate in income generating activities and are forced to borrow heavily and engage in other maladaptive coping strategies such as selling of livestock and assets to access NDMA services at the headquarters. Unfortunately, most of the cases go unresolved. This has caused a state of widespread destitution yet the funds are meant to avert this occurrence. It is against this background that I seek a statement from the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Social Protection on the following: 1. What measures has the Ministry put in place to ensure a transparent process of recruiting new beneficiaries that guarantees inclusiveness of the majority of the eligible vulnerable groups? 2. What measures has the Ministry put in place to protect the beneficiaries from exploitation by the banks and their agents? 3. What plans has the Ministry put in place to ensure accessible services by the targeted beneficiaries located in far-flung areas like Kibish without them accruing extra cost? Thank you."
}