President Ruto Unveils Major Reforms for Chiefs, Assistant Chiefs & Village Elders

President William Ruto has announced a far-reaching set of administrative reforms aimed at strengthening local governance and boosting community-level service delivery. The President made the announcement at State House, Nairobi, where he addressed more than 15,000 chiefs and assistant chiefs from across the country.

Promotion for Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs

President Ruto revealed that all trained chiefs and assistant chiefs will be promoted by one rank effective July 1, 2026. He emphasized that these officers play a vital role in driving the country’s development agenda at the grassroots level.

3,000 New Vehicles & Digital Tablets

To enhance accountability, mobility, and efficiency, the government will:

• Purchase 3,000 new vehicles for chiefs and assistant chiefs
• Issue a digital tablet to every chief for real-time reporting
• Improve the digitization of administration services nationwide

Village Elders to Receive Monthly Stipend

In a historic first, more than 106,000 village elders across Kenya will receive a KSh 3,000 monthly stipend starting July 1, 2026. This recognizes their critical role in security, conflict mediation, and community support.

Expansion of Administrative Units

To improve security and service access, the government will operationalise:

• 24 new sub-counties
• 88 new divisions
• 318 new locations
• 675 new sub-locations
• 900 new police stations across the country

Supporting the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda

The reforms are part of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), aimed at improving governance, strengthening public service delivery, and empowering communities. The large attendance and warm reception from chiefs reflected strong support for the government’s commitment to empowering grassroots leadership.