It will cost the country about one billion shillings a year in allowances to village elders if the proposed amendments to the National Government Coordination Act of 2013 become law.
The payment will, however, be determined by the Public Service Commission in consultation with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission.
The National Government Coordination (Amendment) sponsored by Malava MP Malulu Injendi, currently before the National Assembly, seeks to recognise village elders and have them in the national government payroll as administrative officers in charge of service delivery units.
Currently, there are about 9,045 sub-locations in the country with each sub-location having between three to five village elders. This means that the country has approximately 27,135 to 45,225 village elders, and having them on the government payroll will likely pose a financial challenge.
The Bill seeks to establish village councils headed by a village administrator and provide for the appointment of village elders to the council.
“My father was a village elder and when I propose to have them given an allowance for coordinating government services, I know what I am talking about. They work for the national government but without pay and my Bill wants to change this,” Mr Injendi said when he appeared before the Committee on Budget and Appropriations (BAC) yesterday to defend the Bill.
The current law stipulates the appointment, roles and responsibilities of National Government Administrative Officers but does not recognise a village unit, village council and village administrator.
Although the Parliamentary Budget Office had estimated that it will cost the taxpayer Sh6.6 billion a year to remunerate the village elders at Sh10,000 in monthly allowances, Mr Injendi said that an allowance of Sh3,000 per month will do given the country’s current economic challenges.
The Bill was supported by MPs Samuel Atandi (Alego Usonga), Joseph Lekuton (Laisamis), Danson Mwashako (Wundanyi), Samuel Mworoto (Kapenguria) and Mary Emaase (Teso South).
“The national government should take care of itself by paying these village elders for the coordination of national government activities at the lowest unit. There is nothing wrong supporting this Bill if the constitution has not been violated,” said Mr Lekuton.
“Let us have them paid when they attend council meetings. For instance, they can sit two times a week,” Mr Atandi suggested.
Ms Emaase noted that the village elders play a crucial role in government and must be remunerated just like other government employees.
“In so many ways they have helped decongest the courts by resolving disputes that would have otherwise found a way to the courts. They have also assisted the government in land transactions,” said Ms Emase.
If the MPs approve the Bill and it becomes law, the village elders and council members who have continued to coordinate government programmes without pay will be compensated and legally recognised.
BAC, chaired by Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, is considering the financial implication of the Bill on the taxpayer and will thereafter make its recommendations to the House.
Mr Injendi cited Indonesia, Ghana and Botswana as countries where there is a constitutional or legislative provision for the recognition and remuneration of village elders. Rwanda and Tanzania are other countries with a legal framework on the village elders but without remuneration.
Previously village elders were part of the provincial administration and were accused of being used to forcefully fundraise for the Kanu regime.
The fiscal analysts guiding the budget committee in the consideration of the Bill say that if it becomes law, service delivery will be closer to the people, especially in expansive counties.
