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{
    "id": 584986,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/584986/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 338,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. M. Kajwang",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13162,
        "legal_name": "Moses Otieno Kajwang'",
        "slug": "moses-otieno-kajwang"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, DNA came recently. So, we have been using physical attributes to trace parenthood, but that was on a light note. We might need to rationalize and standardize that definition of old persons. There is an Act in this country called the Social Assistance Act of 2013. This Act set up an authority called the National Social Assistance Authority. I do not know what they do or their address and even if you look around to find out whether this has been set up, it is not very clear. This sometimes tells you that we can come up with legislation, proposals and then nothing happens thereafter. However, there is one programme that is worth talking about which if well implemented can provide hope to older persons in this country. This is the Older Persons Cash Transfer Programme which started off with just about Kshs4 million. Of course, it did not start with the Jubilee Government as my friend Sen. Sang has said. It started earlier when the likes of the King of Meru, Sen. Murungi, were in Government. So, it started as a pilot programme and progressed over the years. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the older persons cash transfer programme provides hope to a number of elderly people. I remember early last year when the President was launching the second phase of this programme, he commented that he would like this programme to reach at least 523 persons per constituency in the country. The older persons are supposed to get Kshs2000. However, as much as this is noble, there are certain challenges that we must deal with. There are a lot of hidden costs to accessing that money. You will find that the nearest Equity Bank or Postal Corporation branches - which are the main outlets where this money is drawn - could be a long distant away, so an old person would spend all his or her money to access the Kshs2000. I want to urge the Executive and those responsible for this to think through that and very quickly implement a mobile cash transfer solution so that the elderly persons do not spend all they have to get something less than what they have spent. We also need transparency. When the Senator for Kitui County requested for a Statement on the status of this programme, there was not much clarity. We requested the Cabinet Secretary (CS) to come here and to date, the matter has not been resolved to the satisfaction of this House. Whenever we go to our counties, the elderly persons tell us that they hear that there is money somewhere but they cannot access it. We need transparency, proper disclosure and good information so that we as leaders in our counties can go back and advise the elderly persons on how they can access this money. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, there are delays in payment. Those who were in the pilot scheme and those who started benefiting say that sometimes payments delay. The beneficiaries sometimes feel as if this is a scheme that has collapsed. We must move The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}