Govt reportedly disburses K30.6 million in social, drought emergency cash transfers

The government has reportedly disbursed K30,569,600 to 130,456 beneficiaries in Lusaka Province under the Social Cash Transfers and Drought Emergency Cash Transfers.

Lusaka Province Principal Public Relations Officer, Logic Lukwanda, confirmed the payments, stating they covered beneficiaries in Lusaka, Chongwe, and Rufunsa districts who had experienced delays in the November–December 2024 payment cycle.

In a statement issued on Monday, Lukwanda said the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services released K15,682,400 for Social Cash Transfers and K14,887,200 for Drought Emergency Cash Transfers.

“Payments are being processed through ZANACO’s cash-in-transit services, targeting beneficiaries not yet migrated to the digital payment platform,” he explained.

He noted that Lusaka district payments commenced on February 21, 2025, and have since been completed, along with payments in Rufunsa and Chongwe.

Under the Social Cash Transfer scheme, 47,266 beneficiaries were paid—27,634 in Lusaka, 12,963 in Chongwe, and 7,659 in Rufunsa.

For the Drought Emergency Cash Transfers, he claimed that 83,190 beneficiaries received payments—55,991 in Lusaka, 16,184 in Chongwe, and 12,025 in Rufunsa.

Lukwanda explained that the emergency cash transfers were part of the government’s response to cushion citizens from the effects of the severe drought experienced during the 2023–2024 rainy season.

He reiterated that the Social Cash Transfer (SCT) Programme provided cash grants to vulnerable households, with a standard transfer value of K200 per month, paid bi-monthly at K400 for eligible groups such as the chronically ill, child-headed households, female-headed households, and elderly-headed households. Households with persons with disabilities receive double transfers of K800 bi-monthly.

Lukwanda added that the current caseload for Lusaka Province stood at over 74,000 beneficiary households.

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