Kenya · POLITICS
Key Facts
—The stipend: President William Ruto has ordered a monthly stipend of KSh 3,000 for more than 106,000 village elders, beginning in the 2026/27 financial year.
—The budget: Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi allocated KSh 3.9 billion in the 2026/27 budget for the stipends, signed into law in June 2026.
—The role: Village elders are local notables who assist chiefs with conflict resolution, intelligence gathering, and community coordination, historically on a semi-voluntary basis.
