Village elders now get KSh3,000 a month: who qualifies, how it is paid, and why the government is doing it
Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen says about 106,000 national government village elders will receive monthly stipends through M-Pesa, in a KSh3.9 billion programme. Here is how it works and what is still to be decided.
Latest updates to this explainer
- New explainer: Village elders now get KSh3,000 a month.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen told the National Assembly on 4 November 2026 that the government is paying monthly stipends to National Government Village Administrative Elders, the community leaders who work with chiefs and assistant chiefs.
The programme in numbers
KSh3,000per elder, per month
106,000elders targeted; 96,566 records processed so far
KSh3.9bninitial budget
How it works
- Started: launched by President Ruto on 4 August 2026.
- Paid through: Safaricom's M-Pesa Tunza Vijiji wallet.
- Who qualifies: only designated national government village elders. Other Nyumba Kumi cluster elders do not get the stipend.
- Problems: some records were returned because names, ID numbers or phone numbers did not match. Murkomen says eligible elders will be paid in arrears once verified.
What elders are expected to do
- Link communities with government officers and help deliver services.
- Chair Nyumba Kumi clusters in their villages, to improve information flow on security.
- Receive smartphones, SHA medical cover, training, uniforms and ID badges.
What is still to be decided
The policy behind the programme is still being discussed with the Attorney General and Treasury. It must go to Cabinet and then be tabled in the National Assembly.
The debate: supporters say elders do unpaid work that keeps villages safe. Critics question the cost, and whether paying local leaders ahead of the 2027 election could be used for political mobilisation. The government says the programme is about security and service delivery.
Related: Election 2027 key dates · SHA explained.
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