Mwengi Mutuse, Member of Parliament for Kibwezi West, successfully petitioned his colleagues to pass a motion urging the national government to pay village elders a monthly salary.
While recognizing his colleagues’ efforts, Mutuse stated that the motion, which was debated in the House, was unanimously passed.
“We now move to implementation. I’m happy the CS Interior Hon. Kithure Kindiki, as evidenced during his approval hearing is already aligned, save for the amounts and modalities,” he stated.
After a short debate, the National Assembly approved a motion on the Recognition and Remuneration of Village Elders.
The Maendeleo Chap Chap MP urged the National Government to establish all existing villages as administrative units, recruit and enumerate existing village elders as administrative officers,
and establish all existing villages as administrative units through the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Administration.
According to Section 14 of the National Government Coordination Act No.1 of 2013, villages are well recognized as administrative units.
The Act creates an administrative and institutional framework for national government functions to be coordinated at the national and county levels of governance.
He also complained that village elders are not paid, despite providing public services, in violation of Article 41 of the Constitution on fair labor practices.
He did not, however, reveal the amount that will be allocated to village elders or whether it will be raised by taxpayers.