Ruto’s Village Elders Programme Faces Fresh Scrutiny as MPs Raise Favouritism Claims

Members of Parliament are seeking greater involvement in the recruitment and selection of 106,000 village elders incorporated into the national government administration structure, raising concerns over alleged favoritism in the ongoing program.

The legislators want Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to provide a comprehensive list of all beneficiaries receiving the monthly Sh3,000 stipend to establish whether those selected are genuine community representatives who have served residents for years.

The concerns emerged barely three months after the government began paying the village elders under President William Ruto’s Policy on National Government Village Administration, which was launched on August 4, 2026.

According to MPs, some county commissioners, chiefs, and assistant chiefs allegedly favored their relatives and friends during the recruitment exercise, leaving out individuals who had previously performed village leadership responsibilities without compensation.

Uasin Gishu Woman Representative Gladys Boss cited the case of an elderly woman in Langas Ward who was allegedly excluded from the program because she was not on good terms with the county commissioner.

Kajiado South MP Samuel Parashina also questioned the criteria used to identify beneficiaries, demanding transparency in the recruitment process.

Igembe North MP Julius Taitumu similarly accused local administrators of prioritizing their relatives and associates over experienced village elders who had served their communities voluntarily.

Responding to the concerns, Murkomen acknowledged that the introduction of monthly payments had generated competition for the positions, attracting individuals who had not previously served as village elders.

He promised to make the beneficiaries’ records available at county commissioners’ offices nationwide to allow members of the public to verify those receiving government payments.

The Cabinet Secretary disclosed that 96,566 out of the 106,000 registered beneficiaries had been processed through Safaricom’s M-Pesa system, with payments being channelled through the Tunza Vijiji wallet.

The remaining records were returned for reconciliation because of discrepancies involving beneficiaries’ names, national identity card numbers, and telephone numbers.

The program has an initial budget allocation of approximately Sh3.9 billion and is intended to strengthen grassroots administration, improve government service delivery, and enhance communication between communities and security agencies.

Under the arrangement, recognized village elders are expected to coordinate existing Nyumba Kumi clusters and serve as a link between residents, local administrators, and security officers.

The government has also proposed providing the elders with smartphones, uniforms, identification badges, training, and medical cover through the Social Health Authority.

The dispute has consequently shifted attention to the management of the program, particularly transparency in recruitment, accountability in public expenditure, and the criteria used to identify beneficiaries.

With preparations for the August 2027 General Election gathering momentum, the 106,000 village elders represent an extensive grassroots administrative network whose responsibilities extend to community coordination and local security.

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