Kenyans online are questioning the criteria used to identify poor families who will benefit from the government’s weekly stipend.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday said the government had started giving the stipend to poor families to cushion them during the coronavirus pandemic.
He did not specify the amount to be given or the criteria used to identify the beneficiaries.
A senator Ledama Olekina tweeted: “President how much stipend are you giving to the poor in Nairobi ? How many have received? publish the list! Just pay rent for Kenyans and let them stay at home! Please stop being “General “ be specific! Share data with Parliament!”.
Other Kenyans argue that all people are vulnerable and in need of support.
“Just pay everyone some stipend for two months and then lockdown the whole country.. even those who were doing well have also fallen in this economy and so identifying the poor at this moment has become complex,” tweeted Enos Mudanyi.
“Which household has not been affected by this COVID pandemic? The stipend should be all inclusive,” wrote Abdallah Athman.
Kenyans who survive on daily wages have in the past complained about the dusk-to-dawn curfew which they said had reduced their earnings.
Calls from various groups and leaders to have the curfew hours reduced to begin late in the evenings were not heeded by the government.
Source: BBC
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