This archive report was first published on 21 May 2020.
On May 20, 2020, Kenya had reported 1,029 COVID-19 cases and 50 deaths. To mitigate the effects of the pandemic, the Labour Principal Secretary, Nelson Marwa, launched the Inua Jamii program in April, providing Sh2,000 monthly to over 1 million beneficiaries under an Sh 8.7 billion kitty.
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) Kenya has called on the Ministry of Labour, Social Security, and Services to ensure that all elderly persons who qualify for the Inua Jamii program are included. This is to prevent them from being exposed to the highly contagious disease when going to banks to access their funds.
ICJ Kenya Chairman Kevin Mogeni urged the Cabinet Secretary for Labour to incorporate the use of cashless fund transfer to ensure that elderly persons can access their monies without having to travel to banking halls.
The Kenyan section of ICJ also wants the stimulus package to cater to persons in the formal and informal sectors, raising concern that the package only benefits those in the formal sector.
They also recommended that the Government provide safe houses and shelters for homeless people who have been affected by demolitions and respect and uphold the rights of citizens following increased complaints of abuses.
ICJ Kenya further called upon the National Council on Administration of Justice (NCAJ) to advocate for the decriminalization and reclassification of petty offenses and for the Judiciary to partner with relevant institutions to ensure courts in rural areas and in prisons are equipped with the necessary infrastructure to enable cases to be disposed of expeditiously.
