Kindiki says government to remunerate village elders

Abakulubi council of elders led by their Chairman Franco Musungu Waliaro deliberate on the way forward following numerous cases of cattle rustling at Emalishira village in Mumias East on February 8, 2023. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has said that the government plans to compensate village elders because they are a link between government and the public and facilitate implementation of programmes at the grassroots.

Prof Kindiki who appeared before the Senate National Security and Foreign Relations Committee in Nairobi yesterday said that the national government recognizes lowest administration unit to be the sub location and his ministry is seeking an amendment for the village to be the lowest unit.

The Cabinet Secretary revealed that there is overwhelming support of Kenyans for entrenchment of village elders into the administrative unit and for them to be paid a full-time salary or even a part time salary and the matter will be deliberated by relevant stakeholders.

"Currently there is no legal instrument that defines a village, once National Government Coordination Act 2013 is amended to include a village as the lowest administrative unit after a sub location, my ministry will come up with a criterion for establishment of a village considering the population, geographical area and social cultural factors," he said.

Kindiki told the committee that a policy framework on the recruitment and remuneration of village elders will be developed after the legal framework is realized to address establishment of terms of engagement and functions of the village elders.

He explained that the legal framework will set the criteria for recruitment, remuneration scheme, termination of engagement, disciplinary procedures for village elders since they are not civil servants, conditions and procedures for exit from office.

He said that the policy framework will enable the ministry to establish the ensuing budgetary implication which will be submitted to the National Treasury for allocation of funds and they will be engaging relevant stakeholders including Parliament to ensure that the programme is successful.

"I would like to inform this committee that remuneration of village elders is one of the key agendas of the Kenya Kwanza government led by President William Ruto. It is a fact that they have not been remembered in the past yet they play a very important role that cannot be ignored by anyone," said Kindiki.

Senators William Cheptumo (Baringo), Fatuma Dullo(Isiolo), Samson Cherargei(Nandi), Julius Murgor (West Pokot), Miraj Abdullahi(Nominated) and George Mbugua(Nominated) pledged to support the government programme to remunerate village elders saying it was long overdue.