Implementation Constraints of Unconditional Cash Transfer for Elderly Persons: Experiences and Lessons from Kajiado County, Kenya

Kiburu Martha – Kisii University, Kenya. School of Arts and Social Sciences, Department of Sociology, Gender and Development Studies.
Peter Gutwa Oino, PhD – Kisii University, Kenya. School of Arts and Social Sciences, Department of Sociology, Gender and Development Studies.
George Mose, PhD – Murang’a University of Technology, School of Agriculture.
Email: oinogutwa@gmail.com

Abstract: Unconditional Cash Transfer UCT) has been identified by most developing countries as a significant strategy for improving the socio-economic livelihoods of elderly persons. This strategy has received ample consideration from scholars, policymakers, and international organizations since the 1990s, however, in Kenya, it has picked the momentum in the last decade. Despite its significance to elderly people, the program has experienced constraints during its implementation. Most studies on UCT programs seem tilted towards evaluating their impacts while neglecting the arguments surrounding the constraints impacting the implementation process. This paper aims to analyze and critique these constraints. A descriptive research design was used and elderly persons were targeted as respondents. The sample size was 102 respondents. Simple random sampling was used. The study used questionnaires and interviews as the main data collection instruments. Data was analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Qualitative data analysis was transcribed verbatim into themes. The study found that the implementation of elderly persons’ unconditional cash transfers is affected by constraints such as community participation, misappropriation of resources, and the capacity of implementers to a greater extent. However, different delivery mechanisms of unconditional cash transfers may pose barriers for intended participants, such as spending time and having the mobility to collect cash at a payment point. The paper recommends the adoption of friendly digital innovations to offer solutions for inclusive processes as well as sensitize the beneficiaries on ways to access cash and how to effectively utilize it.