Civil Servants and teachers are set for salary review over harsh economic times
In a proposal to the Parliament, SRC wants the salaries and allowances of public officers to be automatically reviewed after every four years as a means to match the increasing cost of living.
If approved, the plan will bridge the gap in the salary review procedure in the public service which currently does not have a clear timeline.
Civil servants will soon join other State officers such as the President in the salary review plan proposed by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
In a proposal to the Parliament, SRC wants the salaries and allowances of public officers to be automatically reviewed after every four years as a means to match the increasing cost of living.
If approved, the plan will bridge the gap in the salary review procedure in the public service which currently does not have a clear timeline.
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The lack of timelines anchored in the law for the salary reviews has left civil servants at the mercies of strikes or signing Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) to push for their pay increments.
The approval will also see public officers such as teachers, lecturers, doctors and nurses join State officers such as the Head of State and Members of Parliament whose pay is reviewed after every four years.
The planned salary increase comes at a time when the cost of living has sharply risen, weakening the purchasing power of the civil servants whose monthly pay does not match the increasing prices of commodities.
“The commission shall review and advise on remuneration and benefits for other public officers every four years,” the proposal said.
“The commission shall undertake the review taking into account the applicable national budgeting and planning cycles.”
The Lyn Cherop Mengich-led commission said that although they will push for the automatic salary review, the review will be pegged on the budgetary allocations and performance targets at various public offices.
The salary review plan comes at a time when the country is struggling with the high wage bill which currently stands slightly above half of the government’s revenue for the year ended June 2021 which translates to Ksh.830 billion
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