CASH TRANSFER PROGRAMS AND POVERTY REDUCTION IN WAJIR COUNTY, KENYA
Abdigafaar Abdullahi Sheikh - Student, Master of Arts in Public Policy and Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya
Heather E. Kipchumba - Lecturer, Department of Public Policy and Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
Poverty alleviation was a significant national development concern in Kenya, particularly in arid and semi-arid areas like Wajir County where over 70 percent of the populations live below the poverty line. Despite the government’s implementation of cash transfer programs such as the Inua Jamii Senior Citizens Cash Transfer, Orphans and Vulnerable Children Cash Transfer (OVC-CT), and Persons with Severe Disabilities Cash Transfer (PwD-CT), concerns persisted regarding their effectiveness in alleviating poverty. The study examined the effect of cash transfer programs on poverty reduction in Wajir County by assessing the influence of household income support and access to basic needs. The study was anchored on the Social Risk Management Theory and supported by the Basic Needs Theory. A descriptive research design was employed, targeting 32,000 registered beneficiaries, from which a sample of 395 respondents was drawn using stratified random sampling. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including correlation and regression analysis. The findings revealed that all the two independent variables had a positive and statistically significant effect on poverty reduction. The study concluded that cash transfer programs significantly improved household welfare by enhancing income stability, access to education and healthcare, and social inclusion. It recommended that policymakers increase the value of transfers to reflect inflation, ensure timely and predictable disbursements, and expand coverage through transparent, data-driven targeting. Additionally, integrating cash transfers with livelihood and financial literacy programs was advised to promote long-term self-reliance and sustainable poverty reduction in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid regions.