The Kenyan government is set to allocate approximately 2.7 billion Kenyan shillings annually to pay village elders nationwide.
This decision comes as part of a proposal to formally recognize the contributions of village elders by providing them with a monthly stipend of 5,000 shillings.
Interior Principal Secretary Dr. Raymond Omollo, during a presentation to the National Assembly’s committee on national security and administration, explained that the monthly expenditure would amount to roughly 226 million shillings.
Omollo emphasized the importance of village elders in the community, stating, “When we look into resources required to coordinate all this, we shouldn’t have a big problem convincing the National Treasury to give us the resources.”
The committee, led by Gabriel Tongoyo, echoed the sentiment, highlighting village elders’ role in society. Homabay Town MP Peter Kaluma pointed out that financial constraints have been the main obstacle in formalizing the roles of village elders. Still, with the backing of the Interior Department, this challenge can be overcome.
However, some concerns were raised regarding the implementation of the law. Laikipia West MP Sarah Korere and Kisumu West MP Rosa Buyu stressed the need for a logical and operational streamlining of sublocations to prevent conflicts.
On the other hand, Mt Elgon MP Fred Kapondi suggested that maintaining the informal status of village elders might be more practical, given the existing reporting structures.
The National Government Coordination Amendment Bill 2023 proposes the establishment of a village council, led by a village administrator, as part of the national government’s service delivery unit.
