President William Ruto has instructed Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi to allocate funds in the upcoming supplementary budget to provide smartphones to all 106,000 village elders across Kenya's 47 counties.
Speaking at State House Nairobi on August 4, the President highlighted that the smartphones would enhance the elders' ability to carry out administrative duties, including documenting and reporting criminal activities within their communities.
Digital Tools to Boost Governance
Ruto acknowledged the elders' request for smartphones during the meeting, noting their positive grasp of digital technology despite their age. The funding for this initiative is expected to be included in the supplementary budget between November and December 2025.
Expanded Social Health Authority Coverage
In addition to the smartphones, the President mandated that all village elders, along with their spouses and children, be enrolled in the Social Health Authority (SHA) platform. Full coverage is targeted by January 2027.
"To CS Mbadi, ensure that funds are secured to facilitate the enrolment of all village elders and their families into SHA," Ruto said.
Monthly Stipends and Security Support
Ruto also announced the immediate commencement of a monthly stipend of KSh 3,000 for the village elders, aimed at strengthening grassroots governance. Further, additional Administration Police officers will be deployed to assist elders in their security roles.
Legal Protection for Elders' Benefits
To safeguard these benefits from future revocation, the President tasked Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen with drafting a sessional paper. This will be presented to Cabinet and then Parliament to enact legislation protecting the elders’ entitlements. The law is expected to be ready for signing by December.
The 10,000 elders present at the State House event represented the wider group of village elders integrated into the National Government Administration system to enhance community-level governance.
