The elderly people from Masimba and Nyamasibi wards in Nyaribari Masaba sub-county have complained of being sidelined in the cash transfer aimed at helping people of 60 years and above coming from poor backgrounds.
Rudiah Bonareri, 85, from Riamichoki in South Masaba district, is one of those complaining that in as much as the programme has been in existence for sometime now, she has been sidelined for no clear reasons.
“I gave all that was required long time ago, but they did not include me in the elderly programme. I have heard others earning money and therefore, I am worried what happened with my case,” she said.
Osoro Getonto, 88, is another complainant from neighbouring Ikorongo area in Nyamasibi ward, who accuse the local leaders of impartiality in determining who to include or not in the deserving list.
“I blame the chiefs and their assistants for my fate. I have seen people from better grounds and less in age in the programme earning the money,” Osoro said.
The two are just but a fraction of cases that have the same complaint in Masaba South district band other parts of the county. They want government to intervene in their stalemate and help them get their right.
“I ask the government to intervene in the matter and help us. We have lost confidence with the community leadership because they are selfish and majorly consider their relatives and those with good relationship with them,” Bonareri claimed.
They were speaking to this writer on Tuesday.
The programme is an initiative of the central government to help the aged, but requisitely, those hailing from poor backgrounds and they must be 60 years and above in age.
Those in the programme who meet the requisites earn at least Sh2,000 a month.
The director for social programmes in Kisii County, David Kebaki, said there was no skewed identification of who to be in the programme.
However, he said they work on the names of deserving cases upon recommendation from area chiefs .
"We cannot exactly know who deserves to be put in the programme and that is why we partnered with the provincial administration to assist us. However, we will check out and know if there are deserving cases left out," said Kebaki.