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Income protection agency board faces dissolution under new law
Mr. Aden Duale, who sponsored the Social Assistance (Repeal) Bill 2020
The National Social Assistance Authority, a State agency formed to protect incomes, will be abolished if MPs approve a new framework on assistance to vulnerable members of the society.
The State has tabled the Social Assistance (Repeal) Bill 2020 that paves the way for enactment of the Social Assistance Fund Regulations.
The repeal of the Social Assistance Act, 2013 will see the current board cease to exist within 30 days of commencement of the new law.
“The principal object of this Bill is to repeal the Social Assistance Act, No 24 of 2013 in order to enable the enactment and operationalisation of the Public Finance Management (Social Assistance Fund) Regulations made under the Public Finance Management Act, 2012,” Aden Duale, who sponsored the Bill, said in the memorandum of objects and reasons.
The Social Assistance Act 2013 established an authority whose mandate is to identify and provide social assistance to poor orphans, elderly persons and people living with a disability.
The Act also established a board that comprises chairperson, the PSs responsible for social services, finance, health and seven persons with knowledge and experience in social assistance matters.
Under the Public Finance Management (Social Assistance Fund) Regulations, the Treasury is seeking to put in place tough measures to guide the expenditure of funds meant for the vulnerable.
The new regulations aim to streamline the cash transfer programmes with the funds administered by an oversight board through the Social Assistance Fund.
The Treasury has allocated Sh17.6 billion for cash transfers to the elderly persons and Sh7.9 billion for orphans and vulnerable children and Sh1.1 billion for cash transfers to persons with severe disabilities in the financial year starting July 1.
The Treasury also set aside Sh4.3 billion for the Kenya Hunger Safety Net Programme and Sh400 million for the National Development Fund for Persons with Disabilities.
Some Sh720 million has been allocated for the purchase of a building for these vulnerable members of our society.