Article explores the effect of the pandemic on the livehoods of Kenyans in Kibera and exposes the problematic gender blind , decontextualised conceptualisation of social protection during the pandemic.What is not foregrounded is the structural and systemic marginalisation of these communities through out the years and how a targeted approach ( as opposed to univeralised) to social protection has left men and women in Kenya with limited capability to absord, adapt and anticipate shocks. Important question is what is guiding these choices? Current focus by the state in terms of social protection is on the Big Four Agenda on food security, universal health, affordable housing and manufacturing. http://cn.invest.go.ke/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Government-of-Kenya-Big-Four-Plan.pdf What gendered assumptions underlie the agenda?