By MN Reporter
Uriri MP John Kobado at Oruba Girls in South Kanyamkago ward
Residents of Uriri constituency in Migori County have opposed the distribution of the beneficiaries of the elderly cash transfer program by area MP John Kobado.
The residents led by politician Paul Odhiambo said the process was skewed to favour a certain location in the constituency.
Odhiambo who is also a businessman in Mombasa said the government gave Uriri 260 slots to cater for the elderly persons noting that the constituency has seven locations that ought to have benefited equally in the cash transfer fund.
Odhiambo noted that the MP gave 174 slots to a location where he hails from and left 86 slots for the five locations with many locations getting 14 slots each only, with North Kanyamkago which is the largest location getting only 16 slots.
“The slots ought to have been distributed equally and not giving some locations more slots,” he said.
He condemned the move and appealed to the government to reverse that decision. He further questioned the criteria the MP used to award the allocations noting that the constituency has poor elders across board.
The constituency elders chairman Bernard Ojowi Kisia noted that the distribution process will lock out many deserving elders from the monthly stipend.
“There are many elders who will miss the allocation if the list that has been drawn is approved by the government. We need equity in the distribution,” he said.
Odhiambo noted that the transfer fund is a public taxpayers’ money and should be allocated equally devoid of marginalization of other areas.
But Kobado took to the FB page to deny the allegations:
“Jambo Kenya!
My attention has been drawn to Radio Ramogi news bulletin in which I have been accused of favouring one location in distribution of “Cash Transfer for the Older Persons”.
Plse note that the programme is administered by the Ministry of Labour and Social Services based on a formula approved by Parliament. It’s not implemented by the MPS.
However, we had noted that the allocation formula might have been applied wrongly.
Parliamentary Committee on Labour and Social Welfare met the CS Amb. Rachel Omamo on Tuesday this week and asked her to clarify the confusion. The CS requested for more time till Tuesday next week.
This has affected all Constituencies in Kenya and not just URIRI as being alleged. In the meantime, the programme has been halted until the Ministry sorts out the confusion.”
