President, Deputy President, Cabinet Secretaries, and Members of Parliament (MPs), are all geared up to pocket a salary hike, starting next month.
This proposal by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) aims to shield them from the high cost of living that's been eating away at their income.
The pay increase will provide much-needed relief from the high inflation that's been chipping away at the purchasing power of many Kenyans.
According to the proposal, President William Ruto's monthly paycheck would increase by 7.1 percent come July 2023, reaching a cool Sh1,546,875. In 2024, the salary will increase to Sh1,650,000.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s monthly salary would increase to Sh1,367,438 from July 1 and eventually settle at Sh1,402,500 from July 2024.
That represents a 14.3 per cent boost over the two-year period!
The Cabinet Secretaries are also in for a raise. Their monthly salary would jump to Sh1,056,000 starting from July 1, 2024, from the current Sh924,000.
Members of Parliament, including senators will be raking in Sh741,003 and Sh769,201, respectively, representing a solid 8.3 percent increase from the current Sh710,000.
Governors will be treated to a salary boost from the current monthly gross pay of Sh924,000 to Sh1,056,000 by July 2024.
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Members of the County Assembly will enjoy a generous 14 per cent increase in their monthly pay, taking home Sh164,588 instead of the current Sh144,375.
Other bigwigs in the government such as principal secretaries, the Chief Justice, the Deputy Chief Justice, the Auditor-General, judges, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Inspector-General of Police, and chairpersons of key commissions like the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, are all set to enjoy a salary boost as well.
The proposal put forward by the SRC also covers allowances and benefits, including car loans, mortgage benefits, pension plans, and medical and hospital insurance.
Now, the SRC is opening the floor for public comments on these proposed remuneration packages before issuing a gazette notice to put the new salaries for state officers into effect.
If all goes according to plan, the country's wage bill, which hit Sh506.29 billion for the national government and Sh190.11 billion for the counties in the fiscal year ending June 2022, is bound to balloon even further.
The SRC does recognize that the growing wage bill has been gobbling up resources that could otherwise be used for development and service delivery. However, they're hopeful that sustained revenue growth will help keep the wage bill on a sustainable track.