Kenya’s Salaries and Remuneration Commission has published recommended upper salary limits for government officials.
Chair of the Commission, Sarah Serem, says the changes will introduce “relativity” in the government’s pay structure, improving salaries at the lower end while maintaining or even reducing those at the top.
Under the proposal, the president will earn a maximum of Sh1.7 million, while the deputy president and the speaker of the National Assembly will earn a maximum of Sh1.4 million. The Chief Justice will take home Sh1.38 million.
Moving down the scale, governors will earn up to Sh1.1 million; MPs and senators will take home not more than Sh740, 927 and members of the County Assembly will earn a maximum of Sh118, 000.
Ms Serem expects the changes to save Sh500 million from a Government wage bill of SH14 billion. “I think what we need to appreciate as Kenyans is the fact that If you are in the Intensive Care Unit, we have moved to the High Dependency Unit (..) It’s a gradual improvement so as also to contain the shock and at the same time manage the relativity and, for your information, that is gross salary.” she said.
Ms Serem said allowances will also be reviewed, since they are more the reason behind the upsurge in the wage bill than salaries. She said her commission had made significant progress in addressing the issues of disparity, productivity and harmonisation of public servants’ salary structure.
