Unpaid Mobile Loans Hurting Kazi Mtaani Beneficiaries

Kazi Mtaani beneficiaries are suffering delayed payments due to outstanding mobile loans.

For example, those with Fuliza loans – a Safaricom product that deducts money automatically – are being forced to register new SIM cards.

Others are using ID Numbers belonging to other family members to register the new SIM cards. The problem that arises from this, is details provided when signing up for the program do not match those beneficiaries give later.

As a result, payment is delayed.

A report by the National Assembly Committee on Labour and Social Services read, “Some use IDs that belong to other family members. The challenge is that the details provided do not match their ID numbers, resulting in pay delay.”

But Housing PS. Charles Hinga last week assured the youth that legitimate claims will be processed and paid out.

“Payments for workers under the Kazi Mtaani Programme are made via mobile money and it has been noted that some workers’ details may have had errors which resulted in their payments not going through,” he said.

He urged those that are yet to receive their dues to contact County Implementation Committees.

PS Hinga said that the committees will make sure to capture their details including name, identification number and phone number, which will be verified against returns from the paying agency and legitimate claims will thereafter be processed for immediate payment.

The programme, spearheaded by the State Department of Housing and Urban Development, is in 23 informal settlements.

In the first phase, 26,148 youths were enlisted.

Initially, they were meant to receive a daily stipend of Sh653 but that has since gone down to Sh450 per day.

Nairobi youths through the National Youth Council (NYC) decried the changes without warning.

“To our dismay, upon the completion of the 11-day working period, the youth were paid a total of Sh2,275 each instead of Sh4,950 without any explanation or consultation. This translates to Sh206.8 per day,” Nairobi chapter chairman Joseph Mwongela said.

Others in Murang’a, Isiolo and Mvita have protested against delayed payments.

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