Permanent Secretaries get big allowance raise

The government has increased allowances for all Permanent Secretaries in a move that could trigger a backlash from striking teachers, lecturers and doctors.

Already, the striking employees are seething with rage after the government ignored them when it raised salaries of all civil servants in July this year.

In the latest adjustments, a PS will take home a domestic allowance of Sh50,000, up from Sh15,000, a house allowance of Sh100,000 from Sh80,000 and an entertainment allowance of Sh100,000, up from Sh80,000.

Public Service Permanent Secretary Titus Ndambuki confirmed the increase and said it was meant to realign the allowances with those of public servants in similar functions.

However, the PS declined to discuss the issue further and instead referred us to acting head of Public Service Francis Kimemia. Mr Kimemia did not pick our calls and a text message sent to his cell phone was not replied to.

The increase, which is backdated to July, was communicated through individual letters to the PSs, a departure from tradition where the government uses circulars to communicate such matters. The letters were sent by Mr Ndambuki.

The Salaries and Remuneration Commission, which was set up by the new Constitution to review the perks of all government employees, recommended the increases, which will take effect this month.

Our sources said that the raise was informed by a realisation that some PSs earn less allowances than some of the managing directors of state corporations, whom they supervise as the ministries’ accounting officers.

Permanent Secretaries, who fall in job group U, were left out three months ago when the government reviewed salaries of civil servants between job groups A and T.

“The review was long overdue, some PSs earn less than some managing directors of parastatals and heads of newly created commissions,” said a senior civil servant who cannot be quoted without jeopardising his position.

In July, Public Service minister Dalmas Otieno announced that the Treasury had set aside Sh6.8 billion in the 2012/13 budget for salary adjustments, affecting a total of 133,322 officers in the mainstream civil service and the National Youth Service (NYS).

“The realignment is expected to restore harmony and equity in the public service remuneration structure,” said the minister.

In the civil service, 131,745 civil servants in job groups A-T benefited while unionisable civil servants in job groups A to L were awarded a pay increase of between 17 and 18 per cent, thus fully meeting the demand by the Union of Kenya Civil Servants.

Those in job groups M-T were awarded an increase of between 12 and 20 per cent. NYS benefited from the July adjustments having lost out in the salary review for the Kenya Police, Administration Police and the Prisons Service in July 2010 and July 2011.

The award for the NYS officers included a total of 1,577 officers and ranged from 12 to 22 per cent to bring NYS salaries to “within reasonable levels in comparison to other disciplined services”.

The move to increase allowances for PSs at this time is likely to hand the striking unions fresh ammunition in their quest for better remuneration that has paralysed learning in all public schools, colleges, universities and halted hospital operations.

The strike by the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) enters its third week on Monday. (READ: Court seeks solution to teachers' strike)

Knut is pushing the government to triple the salaries of its more than 200,000 members while Kuppet wants the salaries of their 47,000 members harmonised with those of civil servants and thereafter be awarded a 100 per cent pay increase.

The lecturers, under the auspices of the University Academic Staff Union (Uasu), are pushing for implementation of a 2008/2009 Collective Bargaining Agreement, which will enable their members to get a pay rise of between 30 and 40 per cent.

Members of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union have also downed their tools to push for better medicare and remuneration. The unions have been citing the pay increases to civil servants as the justification for their push for better perks.

Indeed, it is instructive that the ongoing teachers’ strike was mooted in July, just two days after Mr Otieno unveiled the civil servants’ perks and said that teachers’ demands would be fulfilled next year.

“Minister Otieno’s remarks are meant to block teachers from getting their 300 per cent demand. We must get the percentage failing which we shall strike,” Knut chairman Wilson Sossion said.

Education minister Mutula Kilonzo has also in the past termed the teachers’ demands unsustainable.

“These demands for salaries and allowances amount to Sh500 billion, which is well over 50 per cent of the total national budget. This is unsustainable,” Mr Kilonzo said on Saturday.

On Saturday, authorities in public universities issued an ultimatum requiring all employees to report to work on Monday, failing which they risk losing their jobs.