Kibwezi East MP Mutuse Eckomas Mwengi, a member of the Public Accounts Committee during the session at Parliament buildings Nairobi on Monday, July 24, 2023. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NMG
The Parliamentary Budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC) has supported a Bill on paying village elders allowances amounting to Sh4.6 billion annually.
The committee has cleared the publication of the National Government Coordination (Amendment) Bill, 2023 which will see each village elder paid Sh7,000 monthly in allowances.
The Bill, sponsored by Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse is seeking to remunerate the 45,000 volunteers working in 9,045 sub-locations, according to the Ministry of Interior data.
Mr Mutuse told the National Assembly’s BAC that each sub-location is assumed to have five villages and village heads.
“It will cost about Sh4.6 billion annually to pay allowances to the 45,000 village elders. The village heads shall be paid Sh7,000 allowance as follows— Sh4,000 monthly sitting allowance for four meetings at Sh1,000 per meeting held at the Chief or Sub Chief office every week,” Mr Mutuse said.
The village elders will also be paid a transport allowance of Sh2,000 per month or Sh500 per week to facilitate attendance of the meetings and moving around the village.
The elders will further get Sh1,000 per month to buy airtime for coordination.
The Bill gives current village elders priority in the recruitment that will be done at the locational level. Mr Mutuse said there are 3,953 locations in Kenya.
“Village heads do play a pivotal role regarding development agenda. This is carried out through coordination and village citizenry participation in various development activities for the betterment of the village,” Mr Mutuse said.
“Recognition of the village leaders is key in giving them the legal backing in the discharge of their duties and responsibilities.”
Mr Mutuse said village elders facilitate immunisation, ensure children go to school, co-ordinate and promote responses to calamities, help in land dispute resolutions and ensure security through coordination of Nyumba Kumi initiative.
