Ruto says village elders to get Sh3,000 monthly stipend

President William Ruto has announced that village elders across the country will begin receiving a monthly stipend of Sh3,000 effective August 4, 2026.

This is even as the government moves to formally recognise and institutionalise their role in grassroots administration.

Ruto, speaking during a meeting with village elders at State House, Nairobi, on Tuesday, August 4, said the government had adopted a policy to recognise village elders under the Office of the President, adding that the move would provide them with specialised training to strengthen their administrative responsibilities.

"We now have a policy of the government to recognize village elders under the Office of the President. We have agreed that for every village elder to do his responsibility as a multipurpose leader in the grassroots, we shall also take you to training," said Ruto.

He added that the stipend is intended to motivate the elders, who have for decades served communities voluntarily by resolving disputes, mobilising residents and supporting government programmes.

"We have also agreed that beginning today, village elders will be paid a stipend every month of Sh3,000," he declared.

To safeguard the programme from changes in future administrations, the Head of State directed Interior Ministry to prepare a Sessional Paper that will be presented to Cabinet before being forwarded to Parliament for enactment into law.