- WELFARE COMES TO KENYA -

A good idea is a good idea, and this one is long overdue!

I don't care about the intentions or who takes credit for it with respect to 2012 elections. The fact remains that Welfare DOES help fight poverty and gives the poor an opportunity to live reasonably dignified lives. If the new Welfare system succeeds, there will be no excuse for beggars in the streets.

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HOW TO SUSTAIN IT:
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1. National Lottery - managed / run by the Gov. Proceeds fund welfare and community activities, in addition to boosting livelihoods of lucky winners.

2. Voluntary contributions from Diaspora & well-to-do locals. Rather than give cash to beggars in the streets, donate it to the Welfare funds.

3. Mandatory tax deduction of Ksh 100 for everyone earning more than 30k (takes care of misers). Treated just like NHIF/NSSF deductions for tax purposes.

4. MPigs Taxation... The "fake-mini-gods" need to come back to earth and care for the people who gave them their fat salaries. :-)

5. Gov. savings from community service activities performed by the beneficiaries of the fund! These people can provide labor to build roads etc with the Chinese.

6. Gov Savings in Healthcare (among other areas) arising from improved quality of life. A malnourished person is far more susceptible to illness.

7. Hunger can drive people to desperation hence there's element of crime reduction.

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ADMINISTRATION:
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1. Dont pay out in cash! Use the foodstam concept whcih has been shown to work elsewhere.

2. Dont employ foreigners to manage the fund. If world bank or other donors are involved, let them not use the fund for big cars and salaries of their citizens.

3. Mandatory annual wealth declaration for anyone involved in administering the fund.

4. Full disclosureof payouts & accounts. Any member of public must have opportunity to inspect the welfare accounts and payout data on payment of a small fee e.g. 20/-. Parliament to have authority to commission an Audit on the welfare activities.

5. Stiff penalties including mandatory Jail Term for anyone who tries to steal or missapropriate from the fund (i.e. stealing from the poor / starving / needy)

6. Link the Fund's database to an Employment Assistamce & Community Service Office. For any able bodied person continue qualifying for the handout, the person should demonstrate effort to make a decent living (any kind of job).

7. Those who cant find a job must be required to put in X hours in community Service (any kind of community work depending on the person's circumstance e.g. a blind person can teach braille to poor kids etc) EVERY MONTH to start/keep qualifying for the welfare handout. It should not be freebie manna from heaven.

Measures must be in place to ensure that welfare DOES NOT encourage LAZINESS - resulting in a negative impact to society, polarizing the "haves" / "have nots", and essentially "masking" the poverty gap without solving it!

Well done KENYA!

:-)

Further Readings (Links to Wikipedia):
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1. Welfare Trap:
2. Means Test:
3. Poverty Trap:
4. US Welfare Reforms 19996: