The budget highlights for the 2026/27 fiscal year presented by National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has continued to elicit reactions.
Mbadi on Thursday, June 11, presented before the National Assembly a Ksh4.8 trillion expenditure plan, with concerns on the Ksh1.1 trillion deficit against what the government can raise.
Village elders are among the gainers of the budget, with the CS having pronounced a KSh 3.9 billion allocation for their stipends.
Despite being in the government administration structure, albeit at the lowest level, village elders have not been on a payroll.
Expectedly, the grassroots administrators have welcomed the move, noting it would motivate and facilitate them to carry on with their duties.
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Village elders in Isiolo hailed the allocation for their monthly stipends as a historic breakthrough.
After years of serving communities without pay, they said the recognition will uplift morale, strengthen peacekeeping, and bolster grassroots conflict resolution.
They praised the administration for honouring its pledge, noting the funds provide social security while affirming their crucial role in Kenya’s administrative and security framework.
Still in Mbadi's highlights, the CS indicated the funding of Sukuk and Madrasa among the Muslim community, besides funding land reforms.
Key players appreciate the recognition to their culture.
Coast Muslim clerics and land rights advocates applauded the government’s move to integrate Sukuk into Kenya’s financial system, saying it would open doors for Sharia‑compliant investments that drive national development.
They also welcomed budget support for Madrasa and Duksi education, calling it a boost for inclusion within Muslim communities.
While backing allocations to address historical land injustices, they pressed for transparency and fairness to ensure rightful beneficiaries are not sidelined.
The budget also got approval from Kisumu residents and those adjoining Lake Victoria, who appreciated the allocation for a public ferry.
The government intends to allocate Ksh150 million for a public ferry and Ksh1 billion for new docks in the 2026/27 budget, saying it will transform transport to islands like Sena and Mfangano.
Welcoming the allocation, the residents recalled that earlier pledges under Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta never materialised, but praised President William Ruto’s administration for pushing ahead with construction already underway in Kisumu.
The investment is seen as a long‑awaited boost for communities that rely almost entirely on water transport.
