Salary reviews save State Sh1bn

Revision of allowances and wages for State officers reduced burden from 12.8bn to 11.4bn.

The country has saved Sh1 billion over the last one year, after reviewing the salaries and allowances of State officers.

The Salaries and Remuneration Commission said yesterday the pay had reduced from Sh12.8 billion annually to Sh11.4 billion.

But this constitutes only three per cent of the annual wage bill for public officers which stood at Sh458 billion in the last financial year.

Salaries Commission vice-chairman Daniel Ogutu, told a media breakfast meeting that SRC would now start on the second phase of job evaluation and reviewing salaries and allowances for other public officers. Salaries take up to half of all government generated revenue every year.

The job evaluation requires between Sh200 million and Sh250 million, Mr Ogutu said and would take at least two and a half years.

Commission chairperson Sarah Serem faulted MPs for drafting a Bill that seeks to exempt them from being State officers.

If the Bill is passed, Kenyans will spend an additional Sh7 billion every year on salaries for MPs, judges, magistrates and county assembly representatives.

“The question we are all asking ourselves is, if MPs manage to run away from the category of State officers, who do they become? Do they become public officers?” Ms Serem asked.

She warned that the amendment, if passed, would negatively affect other sections of the Constitution which touch on State officers.

Ms Serem also denied suggestions from the audience that the commission was overruled by Parliament on the salaries of MPs.

“Nothing was altered... the only thing we gave them was the grant for cars. Cost analysis showed that we stood to spend more if we accorded them government transport like other public officers,” she explained.