•The total amount disbursed to beneficiaries through the affirmative funds is projected to increase by 73.3 per cent from 3 billion in 2022-23 to 5.2 billion in 2023-24.
•the total amount allocated for the socio-economic empowerment program under NGAAF will increase from Sh290.2 million in 2022/23 to Sh451.2 million in 2023/24.
Image: FILE
The government is projected to spend a total Sh76.9 billion towards social safety net programmes by the close of this financial year.
This will be a 16 percent increase this financial year compared to the Sh65.4 billion that was spent last year.
The number of households expected to receive assistance is projected to increase by more than 600 households to 124.6 thousand this year compared to last year.
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, in the 2024 Economic Survey says that total government grants to affirmative action funds increased by 38.7 per cent from Sh3.1 billion in 2022-23 to Sh4.3 billion in 2023-24.
The total amount disbursed to beneficiaries through the affirmative funds is projected to increase by 73.3 per cent from 3 billion in 2022-23 to 5.2 billion in 2023-24.
“This is expected to enroll 740,000 and 47,000 additional women and men beneficiaries respectively, in 2023/24,” said KNBS director general Macdonald Obudho
According to the Survey, allocation to the social protection programmes increased from Sh2.5 billion to Sh33.5 billion this financial year.
In the current period, Cash Transfers to Persons with Severe Disabilities is expected to increase by 11.4 percent to Sh1 billion.
Cash Transfers to Older Persons are also expected to increase from Sh17.8 billion in 2022/23 to Sh19.6 billion in 2023-24 with only a month remaining to the close of the year.
Hunger and Safety Net Programme is expected to increase by Sh65 million to Sh4.2 billion this financial year
Disbursements to beneficiaries are expected increase slightly from Sh28.9 billion in 2022-23 to Sh29.5 billion in 2023-24.
The number of persons expected to benefit from the Women Enterprise Fund (WEF) is estimated to increase significantly from 59,500 thousand in 2022-23 to 728, 000 in 2023-24.
This is attributed to increased Government grants to WEF by 30.7 per cent and the remodeling of the loan products where the lending limits were lowered to Sh50,000 per group.
Recurrent expenditure, which accounts for 87.1 per cent of the social services budget is expected to increase by 13.0 per cent to Sh67 billion from Sh59.3 billion.
“The Government sustained funding for various affirmative action and social protection initiatives through Women Enterprise Fund, Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF) and cash transfers for older persons in 2023-24,” the report reads in part.
Loans disbursed by UWEZO Fund to women, youth, and Persons with Disabilities (PWD) groups are projected to rise significantly from Sh110.5 million, Sh32.0 million and Sh2.7 million in 2022/23 to Sh287 million, Sh 203 million and Sh10 million, respectively.
The total amount of loans disbursed is expected to increase by Sh. Sh43.4B 17.6 percent.
The National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) is set to increase its disbursements this year.
Funding for value-addition initiatives will rise by 25.1 per cent, from Sh511.3 million to Sh655 million. This increase will also see the number of youth beneficiaries grow fourfold to approximately 50,000.
Additionally, the total amount allocated for the socio-economic empowerment program under NGAAF will increase from Sh290.2 million in 2022/23 to Sh451.2 million in 2023/24.
Under Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO), the amount reserved for procurement of goods and services by targeted interest groups is expected to increase by 10.9 per cent.
Raising the amount from Sh84.3 billion to Sh93.5 billion this financial year, while the value of tenders awarded is expected to increase by 10.8 per cent to Sh28.7 billion in the same period.