President William Ruto has announced a monthly stipend of Ksh3,000 for every village elder, which is set to be effective from July 1, 2026.

While speaking to members of the National Government Administration who had converged at State House on Wednesday, December 2, 2025, the president stated that he wants to introduce a raft of changes that will see village elders dignified and their years of service appreciated and acknowledged.

Ruto went on to state that they will begin receiving the stipend starting in June 2026, after it has been incorporated into the budget, to help them meet their needs.

Apart from the salaries, the village administrators, who in most instances are largely unrecognised, will be registered, issued with identity cards, and recognised as civil servants.

“Hawa watu tunataka tuwasajili, tuwape vitambulisho, alafu tuwape stipend ya Ksh3,500.”

Promotion of police officers

The president has also approved the promotion of all police officers currently serving at the rank of constable and aged 50 years and above, with the promotions set to take place at the same time as village elders receiving salaries.

As part of these changes, all chiefs and assistant chiefs who have completed mandatory training at the Embakasi B Campus will also be promoted by one rank. Their promotions will be effected once the necessary budgetary allocations are incorporated in the next financial year.

“All chiefs and assistant chiefs are going to be promoted by one rank in June 2026 when the funds have been incorporated into the budget.”

These measures follow a request by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, who raised concerns over stagnation affecting local administrators who have remained in the same ranks for extended periods.

Transfer of police officers

In a broader reform agenda affecting the police service, the president directed that no officer should be transferred before completing at least one year at a duty station.

The directive seeks to address past cases where officers were redeployed frequently before settling or being considered for promotion.

Transfers will now be guided by sensitivity to officers’ social and family circumstances. Furthermore, officers aged 50 and above will gradually be transferred closer to their home areas as they near retirement.