President William Ruto has officially commenced the disbursement of monthly stipends amounting to Sh3,000 for village elders nationwide, a move aimed at formalising their role and enhancing grassroots governance.
The announcement was made on August 4 during a meeting at State House with village elders representing communities across Kenya. The initiative follows the introduction of a policy framework that recognises village elders as integral components of local administration and service delivery.
Support and Digital Inclusion
In addition to the stipend, elders have been provided with smartphones and will receive digital literacy training to better equip them for their duties.
Enhanced Funding for Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen revealed that the government has increased the Authority to Incur Expenditure (AIE) allocations to improve service delivery:
- Assistant chiefs' monthly allocations have risen from Sh15,000 to Sh30,000.
- Chiefs' monthly allocations have increased from Sh30,000 to Sh50,000.
Further support comes from the deployment of 6,000 officers from the National Government Administration Police Unit (NGAPU) to 16 sub-counties, with plans to assign more officers following upcoming graduations.
Call for Institutionalisation
President Ruto urged for legislation to formalise the role of village elders within Kenya’s governance system, emphasising their responsibility to serve all citizens impartially and foster national unity by upholding constitutional values.
