Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has clarified that village elders will receive stipends and not salaries.
Speaking during the Jukwaa la Usalama forum in Siaya County on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, he explained that the government can only provide stipends as part of the elders’ welfare and not salaries since it is not financially able to sustain monthly pay for the local administrators.
Murkomen further stated that he has already drafted a cabinet memo, which he will soon present for approval, after which a plan will be developed on how to facilitate the village elders through stipends.
He added that the funds are meant to help elders acquire items necessary for their daily duties, enabling them to serve more effectively. Such items include torches, umbrellas, gumboots, and other essential commodities.
“on the issue of welfare for village elders, that issue is being dealt with. I have done the cap memo; I will present it to the Cabinet. Once the Cabinet is done with it, that is when we will see how to facilitate village elders, not to give them a salary. The government is unable to give salaries to village elders.”
The bill to have the village elders remunerated was presented to parliament by late Malava MP Malulu Njendi, but was rejected
The National Government Coordination Amendment Bill 2023 sought to recognise and remunerate village elders who perform national government functions.
Reads the Bill: “The national government shall ensure that the establishment of the village councils and appointment of the village elders accords with the requirements set out for the establishment of village councils and appointment of village elders as set out under section 53 of the County Governments Act.”
The departmental committee on administration and internal security said that the need for the creation of village administrative units and the establishment of additional offices should be dependent on necessity, as determined by the Ministry of Interior and National Coordination, and the availability of funds.
The committee, chaired by Narok West MP Gabriel Tongoyo, said the bill sponsored by Malava MP Malulu Injendi seeks to enact legislation which is already in place and should not be passed by the house.
Reads a report of the committee: “The committee, having scrutinised the bill, recommends that the house should not pass the bill, as it seeks to enact legislation which is already in place.”
In its arguments, the committee noted that by dint of section 14(3) of the National Government Coordination Act, the law already permits the national government to establish administrative units under section 48 of the County Government Act.
During his funeral ceremony, MPs who attended called for this bill to be revamped so as to act on his legacy
