Nairobi County freezes hiring, promotions over wage bill

Employment at City Hall has been frozen due to a huge wage bill.

There will also be no salary review or promotion, according to a report by the county assembly, which resolved that no new employees will be hired this financial year.

Budget and Appropriation Committee Chairman Michael Okumu said the assembly had resolved to freeze the replacement of employees who retire or leave service due to other reasons.

“Any specialised jobs will have to be approved by the assembly,” said Mr Okumu.

The chairman said the assembly had also agreed that the expenditure on wages and salaries should not exceed Sh14 billion or 40 per cent of the total county revenue, with the figure expected to drop to 35 per cent by the 2018/1019 financial year.

PUBLIC SERVICE BOARD REPORT

Mr Okumu said the committee had received a report from the Nairobi County Public Service Board on a salary review and promotions.

At the same time, Governor Evans Kidero told journalists at his office that the county had 13,000 employees inherited from the national government and the defunct council.

“I initially inherited 9,000 employees from the defunct council, and the national government seconded 6,000, bringing the total figure to 15,000. I have, however, reduced the number to 13,000,” said Dr Kidero.

Dr Kidero said the county had been spending all the funds from the national government on salaries.

He said this financial year, he will spend Sh18 billion on salaries.

According to the Controller of Budget, in the first quarter of the 2015/2016 financial year, City Hall spent Sh6.68 billion on personal emoluments.