The State has a fundamental responsibility to put in place the legislative and policy framework necessary to achieve social security for all.

This is not merely a policy choice; it is a fundamental human right.

Article 22 and Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognize social security as a right of every person.

 The ILO’s social security framework similarly establishes important obligations for member states, while regional frameworks within the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa also recognize the importance of social protection and social security.

It is against this background that we must understand the journey of the National Social Security Fund, NSSF.

NSSF came into being in 1965, emerging from the broader national development agenda articulated through Sessional Paper No. 10, which sought to confront the challenges of ignorance, poverty and disease.

The fight against poverty was therefore central to the rationale for establishing a national social security system.

But we must be honest about where we started.

In 1965, contributions were extremely modest. For many years, NSSF remained a department within the Ministry responsible for Labour and Social Protection. By 1987, it had been transformed into a public body, but contributions and savings remained very small.

The fundamental objective, however, remained unchanged: to protect citizens against poverty and vulnerability and to provide them with greater security throughout their lives.

A major turning point came with the enactment of the NSSF Act, 2013. Kenya had, in principle, taken a significant step towards modernising its social security system. However, implementation was delayed by prolonged legal challenges. While other countries in the region moved ahead with reforms, Kenya lost valuable time.

Eventually, in February 2023, following a court ruling, implementation of the new Act commenced. There have been further legal challenges, but one thing is clear: the social security train has left the station. We cannot go back to the old system.

That is the story I want to share with you today—the story of transformation, and the journey towards prosperity and greater social protection for all Kenyans.

Over the past three years, NSSF has expanded its membership from approximately 2.5 million to 4.5 million Kenyans. That means we have brought an additional two million people into the social security system.

As of August, NSSF had accumulated approximately KSh780 billion in savings, with monthly collections now standing at about KSh8 billion and with significant potential for further growth. We have also paid billions of shillings in benefits to our members.

We have also made significant progress in the payment of claims. Today, claims are being processed and paid within an average of approximately 70 to 77 working days. This represents an important shift towards a more responsive and efficient institution.

But the transformation of NSSF is not simply about collecting more money.

 It is about building a comprehensive social security system that protects Kenyans against the risks they face throughout their lives.

Under the new NSSF framework, we have three principal funds: the Long-Term Pension Fund, which provides retirement income; the Provident Fund, which expands social security coverage, including for workers in the informal economy; and the Risk Fund, which provides protection against exceptional circumstances that can disrupt livelihoods.

The importance of the Risk Fund became particularly clear during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the previous system, NSSF did not have an adequate mechanism to provide support to workers who remained employed but whose incomes and livelihoods were disrupted by an extraordinary economic crisis.

The Risk Fund is designed to address precisely such situations.

It provides an additional layer of social protection when major economic or social disruptions affect the ability of citizens to earn and sustain their livelihoods.

This is the NSSF we are building today: not simply a savings institution, but a modern social security system designed to protect Kenyans, strengthen household resilience and contribute to prosperity for all.

Strengthen the ministerial opening

Make the historical journey more concise

Clarify the three NSSF funds

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