Influence of Stakeholder Engagement on the Performance of the Inua Jamii Senior Citizens’ Scheme in Murang’a County, Kenya

Abstract

Purpose: The Inua Jamii Senior Citizens’ Scheme protects the right to social security of the elderly in Kenya as per the Constitution. The performance of this program in the entire nation mainly relies upon the efficient participation of stakeholders. Research shows that the program still faces some difficulties in its operations and administration. This study looked at how stakeholder engagement impacted the performance of the Inua Jamii Senior Citizens’ Scheme in Murang’a County, Kenya.

Methodology: Quantitative research design was used in this study, the sampling of which involved 384 respondents or stakeholders comprising beneficiaries, local administrators as well as scheme coordinators. Primary data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire that considered program implementation experiences and operational efficiency of the scheme. To identify the relationships and predict the effects of the study variables, descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and logistic regression analyses were done.

Findings: Study findings indicated differences regarding the spreading of information and the communication with the beneficiaries, with 78.4% of the respondents saying that the beneficiaries did not have enough knowledge of the program, and 71% saying that there were no sensitization activities. Social gatherings (82.39%) was the most announced means of communication. Mobile phone platforms were the primary and the most chosen payment method (88.8%), with most of the people getting their stipends every month (90.9%). Nevertheless, challenges coexisted, as 34.9% of the participants took part in the grievance redress mechanism, mainly due to the delayed disbursements (70.15%) and the missed payments (65.67%). Increasing stipend amount (85.7%) and making regular, and timely payments (58.3%) were the suggestions for sustainability. The chi-square test also indicated that there were strong connections between stakeholders' roles and demographic factors, such as age, sex, and education (p < .000).

Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Findings from this research will support, refine, and/or further develop existing theories of social pensions by identifying how various modes of communication and engagement of stakeholders combine to influence program outcomes, as well as by providing valuable insights for policymakers to enhance the effectiveness of cash transfer programs in Kenya and other similar countries.