William Ruto woos village elders with KSh 3.9b stipend in new budget

• The Kenyan budget allocated KSh 3.9 billion for village elder stipends to enhance community security
• Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi said the proposed KSh 41.8 billion aims to support vulnerable populations through social safety nets
• Mbadi also earmarked KSh 25.2 billion for modernising police infrastructure and improving operational efficiency

Nairobi: Kenyan elders and vulnerable populations are among the biggest winners in the proposed 2026/27 budget after the National Treasury unveiled a major spending package for security and social safety nets.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi told parliament that the allocations are central to President William Ruto’s economic vehicle, the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which prioritises poverty reduction.

The CS set aside KSh 3.9 billion for stipends to village elders, recognising their role in grassroots security management while dealing with adverse societal challenges.

“This will enhance local administrative capacities and appreciate the role played by village elders in helping address security and other societal challenges,” Mbadi said.

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While presenting the budget before the National Assembly, Mbadi described social protection as central to BETA’s poverty reduction strategy, saying that strengthened safety nets protect livelihoods and enable low-income earners to engage in economic activities.

The government seeks to spend KSh 41.8 billion on vulnerable populations and KSh 25.2 billion on modernising police and forensic infrastructure. The proposed KSh 41.8 billion includes the KSh 24.6 billion cash transfers to elderly persons under the Inua Jamii programme.

Cash transfers to Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) will be allocated at KSh 8.9 billion, while persons living with severe disabilities will receive KSh 1.5 billion in the proposed budget.

“These measures provide immediate relief and sustain basic consumption,” Mbadi said.

Under the security docket, Mbadi allocated KSh 13.0 billion for the leasing of police motor vehicles, a move he said will replace the costly and unreliable direct-purchase model with a predictable operational lease arrangement.

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A further KSh 7 billion has been proposed for the Police Modernisation Programme, covering training, equipment upgrades, and technology integration.

Additionally, Mbadi said KSh 1.3 billion will go into the construction and modernisation of national forensic facilities, intended to boost evidence handling and criminal investigation capacity.

Source: NGBREAKINGNEWS