Village elders are the last government entity in the national government unit and they do a great job, without them chiefs and their assistants can have hard time running the government programs.
However, they never receive any financial support from the government even after working in bad condition and some work till late at night if duty calls.
At some point during his tenure in parliament representing Saboti Constituency and now the current Cabinet Secretary for Defence Eugene Lodwig Wamalwa had tabled a bill in parliament to have village elders get some stipend every end month but that has not come to pass regardless of him being in government as a Cabinet Secretary for almost fifteen years.
While addressing the people of Sitikho ward in Webuye West constituency during the retirement party of a long serving village elder of Kabulolo village Mr. Joseph Kundu, Webuye West parliamentary candidate Edward Kimakwa has called on government to remember the village elders whom he says perform important duty in line of national government to make sure that government plans, policies and programs are implemented to the latter in the village.
Kimakwa said many of the village elders are living in a very devastating life and can’t afford basic needs regardless of being the eye of the President at the village level.
“Village elders are important component in the national government structure of service but most of them are living in abject poverty, some can’t even afford food on the table leave alone paying fees for their children yet they have to enforce a hundred percent transition which is a government policy, how would they manage this? The government must do something,” asked Kimakwa.
Kimakwa who is eyeing Webuye West seat as an independent candidate says many of the village elders he has interacted with have no tools of work including uniform and other stuff that would make their work easier yet some work up to late at night if they are called if emergency happens.
“The environment they work is so pathetic some work even at night but they get nothing, have no attire for the same but nobody including the government they serve thinks about them, the incoming government must think of getting a program that will help them have something on the table to support their families too or they are also paid like any other government employee.” He proposed.
The retired village elder said he has done a lot and urged his colleagues still in service to copy his character of more than 35 years in service saying he is ready to provide advise whenever needed though he has retired and also urged government to remember them for the good work they do.