Cash for the elderly: Over 566,000 citizens aged 70 and above are now receiving their first cash under the social protection program.

And while previously elderly citizens got the cash from one single bank, the monopoly in giving out the cash has been quashed.

Now, the citizens plus tens of thousands more who were already receiving the cash for the elderly can get their money through the Cooperative Bank after registration and verification.

The funds being collected amount to around Sh. 4,000 being allocations for the months of January and February.

A total of 566,000 elderly people had applied to be included in the cash transfer plan.

Each beneficiary receives Sh2,000 a month, coming to Sh4,000 per payment because the Ministry of Labour releases the funds every two months.

Current cash for the elderly beneficiaries

In December, Sh1.1 billion was paid out to the current beneficiaries under the three cash transfer programmes, meaning the amount will be much higher in March, when more numbers are enrolled in the enhanced Older Persons Cash Transfer plan.

The other two flagship cash transfer programmes cover orphans and vulnerable children, and people living with severe disabilities.

The cash for the elderly programme was a key election campaign promise by the Jubilee administration last year.

It is understood that those who qualify for the cash for the elderly program are extremely poor and vulnerable, and have met the eligibility criteria of being more than 70 years old.

In the January-February payment cycle, the Government expected to spend approximately Sh2 billion on those who are newly enrolled and aged 70 and above.