By John Mutiso
President William Ruto has announced a comprehensive plan to empower grassroots administrators, including promotions for all chiefs and assistant chiefs, provision of tablets and vehicles, and monthly stipends for village elders.
In a statement on Tuesday, December 2, during a meeting with more than 15,000 chiefs and assistant chiefs at State House, Nairobi, President Ruto outlined reforms aimed at enhancing accountability and efficiency at the community level.
“Chiefs and assistant chiefs are enablers of our country’s development plan at the grassroots. We are, therefore, promoting all trained chiefs and their assistants by a rank effective July 01, 2026,” the President announced.
Under the new plan, tablets will be distributed to all chiefs across the country to improve service delivery and administrative efficiency. Additionally, more than 3,000 new vehicles will be procured to enhance the mobility of grassroots administrators in carrying out their duties.
In a significant move to recognize the contributions of village elders, President Ruto announced that the government will provide a monthly stipend of Ksh 3,000 to all 106,000 village elders nationwide, starting July 1, 2026.
“Our more than 106,000 village elders across the country will be recognised, and put on a monthly stipend of KSh3,000 beginning July 1, 2026,” Ruto stated.
The President also announced plans to operationalize 24 new sub-counties, 88 divisions, 318 locations, and 675 sub-locations to improve administrative coverage and bring services closer to citizens.
Furthermore, the government will construct 900 police stations to strengthen security infrastructure in every part of Kenya.
The announcements come as the government seeks to modernize public service delivery and enhance security operations across the country.
Earlier in the day, President Ruto directed the Ministry of Interior to begin procuring electric vehicles for the National Police Service.
Speaking on Tuesday, December 2, the President explained that transitioning to electric mobility would address persistent fuel shortage challenges that often disrupt police operations while simultaneously reducing government expenditure on fuel.
He tasked Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen with identifying appropriate electric vehicle models for law enforcement officers.
“We will agree on how police vehicles will no longer run out of fuel. We now have electric vehicles that can accomplish the task. We will purchase vehicles that run on electricity, allowing us to eliminate our use of fuel. Minister, go and find electric vehicles so we can buy them for our officers,” he said.
