Nandi County Governor Stephen Sang has ordered newly appointed chief officers to give ten per cent of their monthly salaries to the Church.

The directive is a first within Kenya's 47 devolved governments.

According to Nation Africa, Sang said he instigated the rule in a bid to support local churches in need of government funding.

“Chief officers serving in my final term must act differently and work smart by paying back to society,” he said.

Sang presided over the swearing in of county chief officers on Monday, together with Anglican Church of Kenya Bishop Dr Paul Korir. Sang implored them to "perform for the people of Nandi."

Sang said he will follow up with clerics to receive records of those who have not tithed their earnings and told all chief officers that they "must start paying 10 percent of their monthly salaries to the church and be supportive to their families.”

He went on to suggest some former officers who had served in his first term had "declined" to give to the church and excused themselves from church services due to being "busy serving the Nandi people." Sang says he wants to leave a legacy "entrenched in Christian values" for his local community.