NAIROBI, Kenya—For the first time in Kenya’s history, village elders will receive monthly government stipends after the National Treasury allocated Sh3.9 billion in the 2026/27 budget to formally support their role in grassroots administration and community security.
The allocation, announced by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi while presenting the national budget in Parliament on Thursday, will benefit approximately 110,000 village elders across the country beginning July 1, 2026.
The programme marks a major policy shift aimed at strengthening community-based governance and integrating village elders more formally into Kenya’s security and administrative framework.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen welcomed the allocation, saying it fulfills a commitment made during the nationwide Jukwaa La Usalama public engagement forums where communities repeatedly called for the recognition and facilitation of village elders.
“During the Jukwaa La Usalama engagements, we pledged to provide our village elders with a stipend to facilitate their work which is crucial in strengthening grassroots security and administration. We have fulfilled this promise,” Murkomen said.
Village elders have long played a central role in local governance despite operating largely on a voluntary basis. They assist chiefs and assistant chiefs in resolving disputes, supporting community policing initiatives, mobilising residents during emergencies and implementing government programmes at the village level.
They are also key players in the Nyumba Kumi initiative, which relies on close community cooperation to identify and address security threats before they escalate.
Under the new framework developed by the Ministry of Interior, individuals selected as Village Administrative Elders must be endorsed by their communities, have lived continuously within their villages for at least five years, possess a strong understanding of local customs and meet integrity standards outlined under Chapter Six of the Constitution.
While unveiling the budget, Mbadi defended the government’s decision to increase security-related spending, arguing that national stability remains essential for economic growth, investment and development.
“A safe and stable environment is indispensable for investment, trade and economic growth,” Mbadi told Parliament.
The budget allocates Sh252.1 billion to the defence sector, Sh144.7 billion to the National Police Service, Sh64 billion to the National Intelligence Service, Sh63.9 billion to internal security and national administration, and Sh42.6 billion to prison services.
Additional allocations include Sh13 billion for leasing police vehicles, Sh7 billion for police modernisation programmes and Sh1 billion for upgrading forensic infrastructure.
Mbadi described the village elders’ stipend as a long-overdue intervention designed to strengthen local administrative structures and improve service delivery at the grassroots level.
“I have also proposed Sh3.9 billion for stipend to village elders for the first time, something that has been talked about for years to enhance local administrative capacities,” he said.
The initiative has been under discussion for nearly a decade. Principal Secretary for Internal Security Raymond Omollo previously told Parliament that consultations on the proposal began in 2016 following directives from lawmakers to develop a structured framework for recognising and supporting village elders.
According to Omollo, years of policy reviews, stakeholder consultations and public participation were required to establish a credible system for identifying legitimate village elders across the country.
“The conversation about village elders began in 2016 and the House actually gave directions to the ministry. It has taken almost 10 years to get us here,” he said.
The rollout of the stipend programme is expected to boost morale among village elders while strengthening the government’s efforts to improve security coordination, public administration and service delivery at the community level.
