Village Elders to Get Sh3,000 Monthly Stipend in Government's New Plan

By MWINGI TIMES CORRESPONDENT 

This wa revealed by Interior and National Administration PS Raymond Omollo who appeared before the National Assembly Committee on Administration and Internal Security during the scrutiny of the 2016/2027 budget estimates.  About 110,000 village elders will benefit from this stipend.

The Ministry of Interior and National Administration was reported to have developed a policy framework and criteria for selecting village elders. PS Omollo said this was a culmination of years of consultations and public participation among stakeholders. 

"The conversation about village elders began in 2016 and the House actually gave directions to the Ministry of Interior.  It has taken almost 10 years to get us here", said Dr Omollo.

The Interior PS thanked the committee for supporting the allocation of budget to support village elders in delivering on their mandate. The proposal stipulates that each village elder will earn Sh3,000 after 30 days  starting from the next financial year. This proposal is subject to approval from Parliament. 

"Our expectation is that we will be giving a stipend of Sh3,000 to each village elders and the amount that has been provisioned for will be almost enough to take us through the whole year", he said.

PS Omollo further stated that the said village elders will not be beneficiaries of existing State support programmes like safety net schemes for the elderly or the community health promoter initiatives.

MPs sitting in the committee,  however,  proposed that village elders should be paid more than the Sh3,000 stipend allocated. Narok West MP Gabriel Tongoyo is the chairman of the committee.  He said given the expected responsibilities of village elders,  they should receive higher stipend similar to what Community Health Promoters get. "We had nothing before but may be we should have them at par with the community health promoters", said Hon Tongoyo.

The lawmakers welcomed the initiative given it was the first formal government effort to recognise and facilitate village elders.  The elders have worked voluntarily for years helping chiefs and assistant chiefs in local administration and security affairs.