The Government of Kenya

The Government of Kenya has been implementing various Social Protection Programmes across the country to cushion Kenyan Citizens from extreme poverty. These schemes were given an impetus by the 2006 African Union meeting in Livingstone, Zambia, following which the Government of Kenya initiated a wide consultative process to formulate a national social protection framework. Through this process, the Government has identified several key social protection actions in the areas of social assistance, social security, and health insurance (Kenya National Social Protection Policy, 2011). Social Assistance Cash Transfer Programmes being implemented by the Government of Kenya and its development partners are currently supported by Management Information Systems.Infact Government recognizes the need to establish MIS’s to manage social protection in the country. This systems makes it possible to document results of the various interventions and schemes, inform key stakeholders about the status and effectiveness of social protection programmes, and generate political support for sustaining and expanding social protection programmes. The Government shall develop a Single Management Information System (MIS)-Single Registry to: (i) harmonize and consolidate the current range of fragmented schemes, and (ii) increase the ability of social protection initiatives to scale up their operations quickly in response to crises (Kenya National Social Protection Policy, 2011).

Chapter One

Introduction

This research seeks to examine and analyse the impact integration of Programme MIS’s has on Social Protection Programmes in Kenya. The research focuses on Single Registry Kenya as a case study which can be accessed online through the website: http://mis.socialprotection.go.ke:20301/ .The Single Registry Kenya was launched in September 2016 for operational across the country in 47 counties thus this study intends to examine the impact across the country. 1.1 Background of the Study Social protection has been implemented in Kenya in many different forms for many decades, including various programmes created in response to emergencies. The establishment of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) which are contributory Social Protection Programmes in 1965 and 1966 respectively, was part of the Government’s efforts to cushion workers against future vulnerabilities.

However, these interventions have tended to be created in a piecemeal and uncoordinated manner. Following a meeting in Livingstone, Zambia in 2006, under the auspices of the African Union, the Government of Kenya began the process of formulating a national social protection framework. This entailed holding national consultation meetings involving representatives from Government ministries, non-state actors (NSAs) such as the private sector, community groups, and voluntary organizations, and development partners as well as exploring international best practices in the provision and financing of social protection. This process has enabled the Government to identify several key comprehensive actions in the areas of social assistance, social security, and health insurance sectors(Kenya National Social Protection Policy,2011).There are three main components of Social Protection in Kenya which are Social Assistance, Social Security and Health Insurance. Social Security is a contributory Social Protection Programme that is aimed at cushioning workers against future vulnerabilities especially after retirement.

Working with stakeholders, the Government of Kenya has established comprehensive Social Security arrangements that extends legal coverage to all workers in the formal and informal sectors and their dependents. Other significant improvements include the implementation of structures that makes membership of social security schemes compulsory and enforcing compliance for those able to contribute. This efforts are made to determine the desired scope, role and place of occupational schemes in appropriately extending social security coverage to those who can contribute to their own post-retirement welfare and security risk. Health Insurance is also a contributory Social Protection Programme which is a fully-fledged comprehensive national Health Insurance scheme, covering all Kenyans and to which those who can afford have to contribute to it.

Others include the establishment of a medical frame work to provide access to essential health care benefit package, including maternal care and HIV related diseases for those unable to contribute to the national fund; adopt the required measures to extend an improved range of benefits compulsorily provided for by NHIF, including outpatient care, specialized treatment and quality assurance, sickness benefits and mandated post –retirement health cover. Social Assistance is a non-contributory Social Protection Programme and has two forms that are recognized both internationally and locally in Kenya and these are: formal and informal safety nets. Formal safety nets are those that legally guarantee low-income individuals access to economic or social support, whereas informal safety nets provide livelihood support to individuals to enable them to remain above the designated minimum standard of living but with no legal guarantee that this support will continue. Social assistance is defined as non-contributory transfers to those individuals deemed eligible for assistance by society on the basis of their vulnerability or poverty.

The aim of social assistance is minimum income protection (a """"safety net"""") for particularly poor and excluded people. Social assistance is mainly given on the basis of need and is often subject to means-testing – especially in programmes where universal citizen-based or residence-based coverage is extended. Benefits are not raised through contributions but are funded from the State budget. In Kenya, the term """"social assistance"""" is used to refer to non-contributory transfer programmes aimed at preventing the poor or those who are vulnerable to shocks from falling below a certain poverty level.

Social Assistance in Kenya has experienced significant growth in the past few years; this includes the exponential growth in the number of beneficiaries households covered to the current over 600,000 in 2016 from all the counties (Courtesy of National Social Protection Secretariat, 2016). This growth, however, has been plagued by a number of challenges. The main challenge has been fragmentation and lack of coherent coordination mechanisms, which results in missed opportunities for ensuring efficiency of the investments made. Consequently, duplication of effort and parallel implementation structures do not optimize the limited capacity or support a coherent approach to capacity building across the sector. As part of efforts to address this challenge, the National Social Protection Secretariat (NSPS) has developed a Single Registry System for the social assistance programmes as part of the implementation of National Social Protection Policy and the Vision 2030.

The objective of this system is to consolidate information from the different management information systems (MIS) for the cash transfer programmes that are currently operated independently by different departments and ministries. The goal of establishing the Single Registry MIS was to provide accurate and analytical reports on the performance of the social protection sector. The objectives of the program are as follows:

The Single Registry Management Information System currently has information from the following programmes: Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (CT-OVC), Older Persons Cash Transfer Programme (OPCT), Persons with Severe Disability Cash Transfer (PwSD-CT) – which are under the Ministry of Labour and East African Affairs; Hunger Safety Net Programme (HSNP) – under the National Drought Management Authority and the World Food Program (WFP) Cash for Assets Programme. The Single Registry joins key information from the five cash transfers on registration and enrolment, payments, complaints and grievances and change management for the beneficiaries as well as a link to the Integrated Registration Service (IPRS) to validate beneficiary national ID details. Figure 1 below illustrates the current data sources of the Single Registry. At present, the single registry links programs in the social assistance component of social protection. Going forward, linkage to other components of social protection will be sought such as social security and health insurances. Figure 1 Current Data Sources of the Single Registry (source: National Social Protection Website) The Single Registry is a web portal that allows anyone with internet access to gather key statistics regarding the programs that are linked. Authorized users, such as the implementing officers can gain access to the restricted area which provides more information on beneficiaries of the cash transfer programs that are linked. The following are some of the benefits of the Single Registry: Efficient program monitoring Reduced double registration Increased transparency and accountability Seamless and efficient transfer of data Enhanced quality of operations and services for field officers Baseline

Data for future programs

Statement of the Problem Social Assistance in Kenya has experienced significant growth in the past few years; this includes the exponential growth in the number of beneficiaries households covered to the current over 600,000 in 2016 from all the counties in Kenya (Courtesy of National Social Protection Secretariat, 2016). This growth, however, has been plagued by a number of challenges. The main challenge has been fragmentation and lack of coherent coordination mechanisms, which results in missed opportunities for ensuring efficiency of the investments made. This was due to independent silo type systems run and maintained by government Ministries and various non-state actors and development partner organizations which could not in any way communicate with each other for information sharing of key indicators like the beneficiaries benefiting from their respective non-contributory

Programmes

Consequently, duplication of effort and parallel implementation structures do not optimize the limited capacity or support a coherent approach to capacity building across the sector. As part of efforts to address this challenge, the National Social Protection Secretariat (NSPS) has developed a Single Registry System for the social assistance programmes as part of the implementation of National Social Protection Policy and the Vision 2030. The objective of this system is to consolidate information from the different management information systems (MIS) for the cash transfer programmes that are currently operated independently by different ministries and non-state actors.

The main goal of establishing the Single Registry MIS was to provide accurate and analytical reports on the performance of the social protection sector on a single platform. Other objectives that were envisioned to be achieved by the Single Registry MIS were better communication to the general population and target audiences, providing a single platform where common and essential information across social protection programmes are stored, analysed and reported for the benefit of the stakeholders, providing checks against one beneficiary receiving multiple benefits within and across programmes (double-dipping). With the implementation of National Population Registry (IPRS) database that has 30 million registered Kenyans, Single Registry is linked to ensure that beneficiary details are verified electronically to eliminate fraud. This ensures that the programmes pay only genuine beneficiaries. This study seeks to examine and analyse the impact integration of Programme MIS’s through the Single Registry platform on Social Protection Programmes in Kenya. The research focuses on Single Registry Kenya and intends explore if the link of various Social Assistance Programmes implemented have benefited from the platform. Additionally, the research seeks to examine if the Single Registry MIS has helped reduce double registration of potential beneficiaries and enhanced quality of operations and services for field officers for the different Social Assistance Programmes operational in the country for the past one year.

Research Objectives

The main objective of this study is to examine the impact Integration of Programme MIS’s implemented by Single Registry MIS has on Social Protection in Kenya. The specific objectives of the study are;

Specifically, the study will address the following research questions:

The study is significant because the findings will be useful to the government of Kenya and other non-state actors (NSAs) implementing Social Protection Programmes across the country.

The study findings will aid the Government ministries and non-state actors inform policies and guidelines that will govern registration of beneficiaries to various programmes. The study findings will aid National Social Protection Secretariat (NSPS) to combat the current challenges faced in Single Registry operations To other developing countries running Social Protection Programmes and that have not yet implemented Single Registry MIS’s this study will help them avoid the various challenges that have been faced by the Government of Kenya while implementing the Single Registry. While much has been written about the Single Registry implementation in Kenya, little exists regarding its impact on Social Protection Programmes therefore this study intends to contribute to the body of knowledge by filling the existing gap in determining the impact Single Registry has on Social Protection has in Kenya.

Motivation of the Study. Scope of the Study

The scope of this study is Kenya, Ministry of EAC, Labour and Social Protection, State Department for Social Protection Social Assistance Programs and National Social Protection Secretariat (NSPS).Non-state actors (NSAs) especial World Food Programme (WFP) is also part of the scope. Counties of implementation of various Social Assistance programmes and Single Registry operations offices is also part of the scope.

Chapter Two. Literature Review

Methodology Quantitative research methodology will be used to find the correlation between the set objectives and the actual situation after the research. Use of questionnaires, interviews for data collection from the counties where implementation has taken place and at the secretariat which I will analyze to come up with findings if Integration of Management Information Systems have an Impact on Social Protection Programmes in Kenya.

• i. Provide increased harmonization and consolidation of fragmented social protection schemes through comprehensive oversight of all social protection initiatives
• ii. For better communication to the general population and target audiences
• iii. To provide a single platform where common and essential information across social protection programmes are stored, analysed and reported for the benefit of the stakeholders.
• iv. To provide checks against one beneficiary receiving multiple benefits within and across programme
• v. Helps in the elimination of fraud by ensuring that beneficiary details are verified electronically against the 30 million National Population Registry (IPRS) database. This ensures that the programmes pay only genuine beneficiaries.
• vi. Strengthen Monitoring &Evaluation of National safety Net Programme by providing reports against indicators on a bi-monthly, Bi-annually and annual basis based on established monitoring and evaluation framework.
• vii. Expose potential area(s) for social protection effort(s)
  • i. To investigate if Single Registry MIS has helped reduce double registration of beneficiaries across different Social Assistance Programmes.
  • ii. To examine if Single Registry MIS has led to Seamless and efficient transfer and sharing of data across different Social Assistance Programmes.
  • ii. To establish the benefits accrued from the implementation of Single Registry MIS in Social Protection.
  • iv. To explore the challenges of operationalizing Single Registry MIS in Kenya. 1.4 Research Questions The general research question that this study seeks to answer is that does the integration of Programme Management Information Systems have an impact on Social Protection in Kenya?
  • i. Has Single Registry MIS helped reduce double registration of beneficiaries across different Social Assistance Programmes?
  • ii. Has Single Registry MIS led to Seamless and efficient transfer and sharing of data across different Social Assistance Programmes?
  • iii. What benefits have accrued from the implementation of Single Registry MIS in Social Protection?
  • iv. Are there challenges hindering full operationalizing of Single Registry MIS in Kenya? Significance of the Study