NAIROBI, Kenya- President William Ruto has reaffirmed that all village elders across the country will receive a monthly stipend of Sh3,000, describing the move as part of the government’s efforts to recognize and support grassroots administrators.
Speaking while hosting thousands of village elders at State House, Nairobi, Ruto said the stipend is intended to appreciate the critical role the elders play in community leadership, dispute resolution, security coordination and implementation of government programmes.
He also directed that all village elders get smartphones.
“They will use the phones to take photos and send them,” the President said.
The announcement follows the government’s earlier approval and budgetary allocation for the initiative.
The President told the gathering that the administration was committed to improving the welfare of village elders, who have for decades served voluntarily as the first point of contact between communities and the national administration.
The stipend programme is expected to benefit about 110,000 village elders nationwide.
The National Treasury allocated Sh3.9 billion in the 2026/27 budget to finance the initiative after Parliament approved the proposal.
Village elders play a key role in supporting chiefs and assistant chiefs by mobilizing communities, resolving local disputes, coordinating emergency responses and assisting security agencies with intelligence gathering at the grassroots level.
The programme has been in development for nearly a decade.
Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo previously told Parliament that consultations on formally recognizing village elders began in 2016 and culminated in the government’s adopted policy framework.
The government has indicated that only duly recognized village elders who meet the eligibility criteria established by the Ministry of Interior will qualify for the monthly payments.
Officials say the stipend is intended to strengthen grassroots administration while acknowledging the contribution village elders make to public service.
