Message from the Cabinet Secretary
It is with great pride that I address the delegates, partners and stakeholders gathered for the 4th Kenya Social Protection Conference, held from 28th September to 1st October 2026 in Nairobi. This Conference represents a significant milestone in our nation's continuing journey to build a social protection system that is inclusive, resilient and responsive to the needs of all Kenyans.
Over the past two decades, Kenya has made remarkable progress in strengthening social protection, from the launch of the Orphans and Vulnerable Children Cash Transfer Programme in 2004 to a comprehensive suite of interventions that today reach 1.7 million households across the country. This growth reflects the Government's unwavering commitment, anchored in the Kenya Social Protection Policy 2023, to cushion our people against poverty, vulnerability and the shocks and contingencies that mark the human life cycle.
As we convene under the theme "Re-imagining Social Protection in an Evolving Socio-Economic Landscape and Climate Change: Strengthening Adaptive, Transformative and Sustainable Social Protection Systems for Inclusive Development in Kenya," we do so at a critical juncture. Climate-related shocks, economic disruptions and persistent coverage gaps continue to test the resilience of our systems and the communities they serve. Yet these same challenges present an opportunity for innovation to diversify beyond cash transfers, strengthen digital delivery systems, deepen multi-sectoral coordination and build graduation pathways that move households from dependency to self-reliance.
This Conference builds on the achievements realized since the 3rd Conference in 2023 and provides a vital platform to review our progress, confront emerging vulnerabilities and chart a forward-looking agenda aligned with our constitutional commitments and global best practice. I am confident that the deliberations over the coming days will yield practical, evidence-based strategies to guide our sector for years to come.
I thank our development partners, county governments, civil society, the private sector and all stakeholders whose continued collaboration makes this Conference possible and I look forward to the outcomes of our discussions and to the Joint Call to Action Communiqué that will emerge from them.
I wish you all fruitful deliberations.
