Government Sends Sh1,000 Weekly Stipend to 108,000 Kenyan Families

Over 100,000 poor Kenyan families are benefitting from the weekly stipend announced by President Kenyatta on April 16th.

The allowance provided by the government is meant to cushion vulnerable families from the negative economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In an interview with a local radio station on Monday, April 27th, Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho said each of the families is getting Sh1,000 per week.

Kibicho said a total of 108,000 poor households from four counties—Nairobi, Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale—received Sh2,000 each following the rollout of the program.

“That money (Sh2,000) was for two weeks. We shall be sending them one thousand shillings every week through M-Pesa,” said Kibicho.

He indicated that the program was first implemented in the four counties where a cessation of movement was imposed to contain the spread of Covid-19, adding that it will be rolled out in other counties.

“We are expanding to other urban areas Thika, Kiandutu, Kiambu, Kakamega, Eldoret, Kisumu and others,” said Kibicho.

Needy families benefitting from the program were identified by a multi-agency team drawn from the State Department for Social Services, Health, and Interior Ministries, said Kibicho.

“So far we have not received reports on anyone who has received the stipend and is not supposed to receive it,” he said.

“If your ID and M-Pesa details don’t match you will not receive that money which is from the Government of Kenya,” he added.