The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has warned members of the public against fraudsters allegedly soliciting money while pretending to facilitate compensation and reparations on behalf of the commission.
In a statement on Thursday, May 14, the commission cautioned Kenyans to remain vigilant, noting that scammers were using false claims to exploit victims.
"The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) wishes to alert the public that fraudulent individuals are soliciting money from members of the public under the false pretence of facilitating compensation or reparations on behalf of the Commission," the statement read.
KNCHR made it clear that it does not charge any fees for its services and clarified that all its processes are conducted through official channels only.
"KNCHR does not collect money from victims for registration, processing of cases, or accessing compensation, reparations or any other service offered. The Commission does not use private M-Pesa numbers or private paybill numbers for any of its processes," the statement added.
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KNCHR further warned that any individual requesting payment in exchange for compensation or reparations should be treated as a criminal and reported immediately.
"Anyone asking for money in exchange for compensation or reparations is a fraudster and is not affiliated with KNCHR in any way. The Commission is taking appropriate action through the relevant legal authorities," the statement further read.
KNCHR urged victims who may have already been approached or conned to report the matter to the police and preserve all evidence related to the transactions.
"Members of the public who have been approached, or who may have sent money to such individuals, are urged to report immediately to the nearest police station and keep a record of all transactions and contact KNCHR directly through its official channels to verify any information," the statement concluded.
This comes a day after the Ministry of Labour launched a mandatory biometric verification exercise for beneficiaries of the Inua Jamii Programme.
In a statement on Wednesday, May 13, Social Protection and Senior Citizen Affairs Principal Secretary Joseph Motari said the exercise, which was officially launched in Ilbisil, Kajiado Central Sub-County, will target beneficiaries under the Older Persons Cash Transfer (OPCT) programme as well as caregivers under the Persons with Severe Disabilities Cash Transfer (PWSD-CT) programme.
"The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, through the State Department for Social Protection and Senior Citizen Affairs, has today officially launched the Proof of Life exercise for Inua Jamii beneficiaries in Ilbisil, Kajiado Central Sub-County," the statement read.
Motari said the initiative will involve the collection of biometric details from beneficiaries and caregivers to improve accountability and ensure only eligible individuals continue receiving support.
"The Government is introducing biometric registration, including fingerprint and facial capture, for beneficiaries under the Older Persons Cash Transfer (OPCT) programme and caregivers under the Persons with Severe Disabilities Cash Transfer (PWSD-CT) programme," the statement added.
The State Department directed all targeted beneficiaries and caregivers to personally appear at designated centres during the exercise period.
"All OPCT beneficiaries and PWSD-CT caregivers must physically present themselves at designated biometric capture centres with their original National Identity Cards. The specific locations and dates will be communicated by Social Development Officers," the statement further read.
The government also emphasised that participation in the exercise will be compulsory for continued access to the cash transfer programme.
"The exercise is free of charge and mandatory for all OPCT beneficiaries and PWSD-CT caregivers in order to continue receiving Inua Jamii benefits," the statement concluded.
