Old people's money is now a death trap in Kenya The Government PLAN to give money to veterans, popularly known as 'Inua Jamii', ...

Old people's money is now a death trap in Kenya

The Government PLAN to give money to veterans, popularly known as 'Inua Jamii', has now turned into a death trap, after hooligans began to attack the elderly and rob and even kill them.

The money is given to people of four different groups, including the disabled and veterans. Although the government's goal is to ensure that the elderly who have reached the age of 70 and do not have a pension get money to help them, now that money is the cause of their death.

Thieves and ruthless people are now killing the veterans after robbing them, the latest cases being in Baringo and Makueni counties.

In Baringo County on Saturday, a 70-year-old veteran was found murdered in his home and robbed of Sh8,000 he had received.

Mr Cherutich Cherono who was living alone in Kitumbei village, Baringo Central, was attacked and killed on Friday, just five days after he received his payment arrears.

"She has no children... she was receiving money since the cash transfer program was started until the seventh month when the payments stopped. The money came in on Monday and it is what caused his death," said Mr William Kiprono who is a neighbor of his colleague.

According to his late cousin, Toroitich Chebon, it was not the first time that the old man was attacked and robbed of his money.

And in Makueni county, the police continue to investigate another case where a 90-year-old man was brutally murdered and his money stolen.

According to the police, robbers chased the veteran from the bank in Metava, Kibwezi soon after withdrawing his money.

The chief of the area, Nicolas Mwonga, told Taifa Today that the hooligans killed the old man by cutting his throat, before taking the Sh8,000 money he had given to the bank.

"They attacked him as soon as he left the bank. They slaughtered him and then took the money he had given," said Mr Mwonga.

The murder of the two is just part of a series of murders targeting people who benefit from the government's program to support them.

In recent days, however, concern has arisen due to the increase in cases of elderly people being brutally killed after the money was stolen.

Since the government started distributing the money last week, it has been reported that bandits have used the hardships of January to injure or even kill victims after robbing them.

The criminals have caused a stir, especially among veterans who live alone.

The Community Upliftment Program implemented through the Ministry of Labor targets the elderly, disabled and orphans. They receive Sh2,000 every two months with the aim of strengthening their interests.

The participants received an amount of Sh8,000 early last week after the government jointly paid the arrears of payments delayed for a period of four months.

In order to ensure that the money reaches the target people in the society, the government has been distributing the money to various banks electronically where the parties withdraw it when they need it.