Wastage of resources by State officers must end

Debate has been raging in the past week over how to reduce the public wage bill following President Kenyatta’s announcement that he and his deputy, Mr William Ruto, will forfeit 20 per cent of their pay.

Subsequently, the discourse was upped at a national conference on salaries early this week under the aegis of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, where President Kenyatta directed parastatal chiefs to take a 20 per cent pay cut as he exhorted other public sector workers to follow suit.

To be sure, the wages consume Sh465 billion annually, representing 55 per cent of total tax collections and accounting for 13 per cent of GDP, nearly double the internationally accepted ratio. 

All are agreed that the wage bill is not sustainable but opinion is divided on the best strategies to deal with the problem.

Imposing a reduction of salaries as fronted by President Kenyatta is one option, but there are others, too. In the first place, the reductions should not only target salaries but allowances and entitlements.

The President, his deputy and the top civil servants take home so much in form of allowances that are not openly disclosed.

In fact, they can comfortably live on the allowances while their salaries remain untouched. Moreover, they move around in large convoys of fuel guzzlers paid for by the taxpayers.

This is a clear indication that civil servants’ salaries are indeed not the problem, but the various allowances and other resources at their disposal such as government vehicles.

So, to address the matter, the government will have to cut down on allowances given to the top dogs, in addition to eliminating misuse of resources at their disposal. Moreover, the State must rein in corrupt officials and seal loopholes through which millions of shillings are lost.

At a broader level, the government must seek ways of growing the economy and expanding the tax base so that it can increase revenues to sustain recurrent and capital development.