Kenyan President William Ruto has announced that more than 106,000 village elders across the country will begin receiving a monthly stipend of 3,000 Kenyan shillings (USD23) from next month, alongside smartphones and government-funded health insurance, as part of a package aimed at strengthening grassroots administration and public service delivery.
The measures were unveiled during a meeting with about 10,000 village elders at State House in Nairobi, where Ruto said the government was formalising support for the officials in recognition of their role in maintaining peace, resolving disputes, mobilising communities and supporting implementation of government programmes.
Village elders, who serve as the lowest tier of Kenya’s administrative structure, often act as the first point of contact between citizens and government officials, particularly in rural areas.
Although they perform a wide range of community responsibilities, many have historically served without regular financial compensation.
Ruto said the monthly stipend would provide consistent support for the elders while acknowledging the critical role they play in strengthening security, promoting social cohesion and facilitating government initiatives at the grassroots level.
The president also announced that every village elder would receive a smartphone to improve communication with government agencies and enable faster reporting of incidents within their communities. The devices, he said, would also support digital record-keeping and enhance coordination with administrators and security agencies.
Speaking in Swahili, Ruto said the government intended to procure quality smartphones capable of capturing photographs and transmitting information in real time, allowing village elders to document security incidents and relay evidence directly to the relevant authorities.
He said the government would also provide digital skills training to ensure the elders could effectively use the devices and access government digital platforms.
According to Ruto, the initiative is intended to transform village elders into more effective community administrators by equipping them with technology that supports multiple government functions, including public service delivery, emergency reporting and information sharing.
The president further directed Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi to allocate funds in the upcoming supplementary budget to provide Social Health Authority (SHA) medical cover for all village elders and their immediate families.
Under the proposal, the government would pay SHA contributions for each elder, their spouse and their children, with the programme expected to take effect from 1 January 2027, subject to budgetary approval.
“I have directed the Treasury to ensure that funds are included in the supplementary budget so that our village elders, together with their spouses and children, can have their SHA contributions paid by the government,” Ruto said.
He also said the government had strengthened the administrative status of village elders through policy changes that place them under the Office of the President through the provincial administration system.
He said the move would provide clearer institutional recognition for the elders and improve coordination between them, chiefs, assistant chiefs and other national government administrators operating across the country.
The announcements form part of the government’s broader efforts to reinforce grassroots governance by expanding the responsibilities and welfare of village elders, who remain central to community engagement, conflict resolution, public awareness campaigns and implementation of state programmes.
The State House meeting brought together thousands of village elders from across Kenya as the government outlined plans to deepen administrative coordination and improve delivery of public services at the village level.
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