Top civil servants shun Sh480,000 send-off package
Devolution and Planning Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru (left) with Public Service Commission chairperson Margaret Kobia and Mr Kinuthia Wamwangi of the Transition Authority during a media briefing on July 14, 2014 announcing the government’s plans to rationalise the public service at both the national and county levels. PHOTO | CORRESPONDENT |
What you need to know:
- The document prepared in May last year had targeted 50,000 civil servants for retirement.
- It was, however, rejected in its entirety by the Union of Kenya Civil Servants.
A golden handshake of Sh480,000 had been proposed for retiring senior civil servants in an aborted plan to rationalise staff in the public service and reduce the wage bill.
A confidential document seen by the Nation reveals that junior civil servants, who were to be retired, were to pick up a Sh360,000 cheque as their exit package.
The document prepared in May last year by then Acting Principal Secretary at the Ministry of State for Public Service Ms Njoki Kahiga had targeted 50,000 civil servants for retirement.
It was, however, rejected in its entirety by the Union of Kenya Civil Servants and will now be used as a reference point in the just-launched rationalisation for national and county public servants.
The technical team will propose attractive packages and alternative livelihood for those willing to quit the public service.
It will also develop avenues for appeal for those who may feel aggrieved by the outcome.
Consulting firm Ernst and Young has been hired for the job and will work alongside the technical team drawn from the Public Service Commission (PSC) and UKCS.
Others are the Council of Governors, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC), the Transitional Authority, Attorney General’s office and the Ministry of Devolution and Planning.
The entire process, including the implementation of the team’s recommendations will cost Sh1.2 billion and will be completed early next year. (EDITORIAL: Cutting bloated public service is the solution)
SAFETY NET PACKAGE
The document prepared by the government had proposed a safety net package of Sh360,000, a three months salary in lieu of notice and a severance payment of three months basic salary for each of the remaining years in service for non-pensionable public servants aged 50 years and below.
Permanent and pensionable civil servants aged 50 years and below were to get a Sh360,000 golden handshake, three months gross salary in lieu of notice, a severance payment of half-a-month basic salary for each of the remaining years in service in addition to gratuity and pension.
Non-pensionable civil servants aged below 50 years were to receive Sh480,000, a severance package of three months basic salary for the years worked in government at the time of retiring, three months gross salary in lieu of notice and National Social Security Fund benefits.
Permanent and pensionable employees below 50 years were to be given Sh480,000, severance payment of three months salary in lieu of notice and a severance payment of 15 days basic salary for each year worked.
The document had proposed a criteria of last-in-first-out in determining public servants to be retired to reduce the public wage bill.
The technical team will be expected to develop a staff rationalisation strategy that will determine how many workers will be transferred or re-deployed to areas experiencing a shortage of staff.
Speaking during the launch of the exercise on Monday, Union of Kenya Civil Servants secretary-general Tom Odege maintained that no public servant will be retired against their will and that attractive packages will be offered.
