Nairobi — Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has urged village elders to reject divisive politics and help safeguard national unity ahead of the next General Election, saying they must remain impartial community leaders committed to serving all Kenyans.
Speaking during an engagement between President William Ruto and village elders from across the country at State House, Nairobi, Murkomen called on the elders to resist politicians seeking to sow ethnic divisions at the grassroots and instead champion the national values enshrined in the Constitution.
"As we head to the polls, we know that there are some leaders who will be preaching divisions among our communities at the grassroots. I request you, our elders, to be the cornerstone of our republic and shun leaders who are preaching politics of division and tribalism," Murkomen said.
He urged the elders to take a leading role in protecting young people from being recruited into criminal gangs and political goonism during the election period.
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"Let us ensure we are promoting the values and principles of our Constitution under Article 10, which identifies patriotism and the unity of our people among the country's guiding principles," he added.
Murkomen's remarks came as President Ruto announced that village elders will begin receiving a monthly stipend of Sh3,000, a move aimed at strengthening grassroots administration and formally recognising their role in governance.
"Starting today, every village elder will be paid a monthly stipend of Sh3,000," the President announced.
Ruto also directed that all village elders and their families be enrolled in the Social Health Authority (SHA) programme, with the government paying the required contributions.
In addition, he said the elders would receive digital literacy training and be equipped with digital communication gadgets to improve service delivery.
The President further called for legislation to institutionalise the role of village elders within Kenya's governance framework, building on a recently established policy that formally integrates them into the local administration system.
Murkomen said the government was also strengthening the National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) by increasing operational funding for chiefs and assistant chiefs.
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"In the first quarter of this financial year, we have increased the Authority to Incur Expenditure allocation for assistant chiefs from Sh15,000 to Sh30,000, and for chiefs from Sh30,000 to Sh50,000," he said.
He added that security for administrators had also been enhanced through the deployment of officers from the National Government Administration Police Unit (NGAPU).
"We have deployed 6,000 NGAPU officers to 16 sub-counties, and we look forward to deploying more officers following the graduation of a new contingent," Murkomen said.
The package of reforms is expected to strengthen grassroots governance, improve public service delivery and reinforce the role of village elders as key custodians of peace, cohesion and community mobilization across the country as Kenya prepares for the 2027 General Election.
