The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has defended the proposal to increase salaries for top government officials.
Speaking on Saturday July 1, SRC chairperson Lyn Mengich stated that the Covid-19 pandemic had affected the salaries review.
“SRC set a four-year review cycle and we are now in the third review cycle. There was a salary structure freeze due to Covid-19. The commission has now reviewed the Salaries as required,” she said.
President Ruto on Friday ordered the SRC to halt the reviewing of salaries for senior government officials including himself.
“The state officers, myself, my deputy, ministers, PSs na wale wadosi wengine wa bunge, sisi mambo yetu tungojee. Hiyo mshahara itakwama hapo. I have instructed the SRC to give us international best practice because we need to reduce the gap between all of us who work for the people of Kenya,” he stated.
He however approves salary increment on all civil servants and public servants working in all ranks up to the position below Principal Secretaries.
“Because of the economic times we are living in we have approved that salaries of other civil servants can be adjusted beginning tomorrow so our teachers, policemen, people serving in the military, and people working in government offices we have agreed because of where we are today your salaries will be adjusted by between 7 and 10 percent,” Ruto stated.
SRC had proposed Ruto’s monthly gross salary to rise by 7.1% from July 2023 to Sh1,546,875 from Sh1,443,750 currently before a further 6.7 percent jump to Sh1,650,000 from July 2024.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s salary was to increase from the current Sh1,227,188 to Sh1,367,438.
Also Read: Cherargei, Ledama Reject SRC Proposal To Increase Salaries For Government Officials
