Hello good people, I hope you also saw this.

I beleieve we can particpate also in creating awareness and ensure this does not turn to another CDF.

Rights Queens?!

Kenyans aged 65 and above and orphans have something to smile about following a decision to pay them a stipend.

Gender, Children Affairs and Social Services minister Ester Murugi said in Mombasa on Thursday that those aged over 65 but are not on any pension scheme will receive Sh1,000 monthly from the State.

This is the first time since independence that the government has set aside money for poor, aged people.

“We realised that most of them have no food, shelter and clothing,” the minister said.

Orphans will also benefit from a similar arrangement and will be paid Sh1,500.

The ministry will cater for the payments from its budget and was only waiting for district commissioners to provide the number of beneficiaries.

According to US Census Bureau statistics for 2009, Kenya has 1.026 million people aged 65, which is 2.7 per cent of the population.
Ms Murugi said the government had also set aside Sh200 million to provide skills training for disabled people.

The minister was speaking during a tour of Wundanyi Mwatate and Voi districts where she distributed Sh500,000 to women’s groups.

She also expressed interest in running for the presidency in 2012 and urged women to support her bid.

“We constitute the biggest percentage of voters but never support each other. This time, we need to ensure we have at least 100 women MPs in the 11th Parliament,” she said.

She said her drive for the top seat would be sponsored by the Women of Kenya Initiative, an organisation that raises funds for women candidates.