Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection Alfred Mutua says cash transfers remains important but can not provide lasting protection on their own.

“Cash transfer, however well targeted, protects a household only for as long as the transfer lasts,” he said, adding that sustainable livelihoods offered more durable protection against poverty and economic shocks.

According to the Ministry, the government currently provides more than Sh3.5 billion monthly to vulnerable Kenyans through various social protection programmes.

Inua Jamii beneficiaries have increased from 1.2 million to 1.7 million, with the government targeting 2.5 million households. The programme has also shifted from commercial bank payments to mobile money, particularly M-Pesa, to make it easier for beneficiaries to access their funds.

Mutua said the focus on sustainable livelihoods was particularly important as Kenya’s labour market continued to be dominated by informal employment.

He cited the Economic Survey 2026, which reported that Kenya created 882,100 new jobs in 2025, more than 80 per cent of them in the informal economy. The survey also indicated that 18.1 million Kenyans earn their livelihoods outside formal employment.

The CS said the Ministry had developed a strategy to extend social protection coverage to rural and informal economy workers, including through simple and portable savings products targeting boda boda riders, mama mbogas, and jua kali artisans.

He said the government was also using the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme to help young people transition from vulnerability to enterprise.

Mutua said Sh3.05 billion in business start-up capital had been disbursed to 122,203 young Kenyans in 18 regional clusters on July 10.

“NYOTA is not a cash transfer. It is training, mentorship, and capital,” he said.

The government has also committed to progressively establishing a National School Meals Programme covering learners in primary and junior secondary schools across all 47 counties.

The Ministry further reports that Sh7.947 billion was allocated to programmes implemented through the National Council for Persons with Disabilities between the 2022/23 and 2025/26 financial years, with Sh7.277 billion disbursed and utilized.

During the period, more than 330,000 persons with disabilities were newly registered, while beneficiaries of the Cash Transfer Programme for Persons with Severe Disabilities increased from 30,000 to 63,960.