Nairobi, Kenya – The Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) has announced that it will launch a three-month compliance monitoring exercise for the government’s cash transfer programme for senior citizens dubbed ‘Inua Jamii’.
The programme, which was initiated by President William Ruto in 2022, aims to provide monthly stipends of Ksh 2,000 to over 1.2 million elderly people aged 70 and above. The programme has a budget of Ksh 28.8 billion for the 2023/2024 financial year.
However, the programme has been marred by allegations of corruption, mismanagement, and fraud. Several reports have emerged of beneficiaries not receiving their payments, ghost beneficiaries being registered, and officials siphoning off funds meant for the needy.
The EACC says the audit of the multibillion programme is in line with the commission’s mandate under Section 11(1)(i) of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2011.
“Under this provision, the Commission may, on its own motion, move into any state agency to monitor the agency’s practices and work procedures, for the purpose of detecting and securing revision of any methods of work or procedures found to be conducive to corruption,” the anti-graft agency said in a statement on Wednesday.
The EACC says it will conduct field visits, interviews, document reviews, and data analysis to assess the effectiveness, efficiency, transparency, and accountability of the programme. The EACC will also seek to identify and recommend corrective measures to address any gaps or weaknesses in the programme’s implementation.
The announcement of the audit has elicited mixed reactions from Kenyans, with some expressing support for the move, while others questioning the credibility and independence of the EACC.
