Parliament has set aside Ksh1 billion for the recruitment of and remuneration of interns from all constituencies in the country.
The National Assembly budget and Appropriation Committee, chaired by Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wa, wants the Public Service Commission to hire the interns.
The MPs stated that this will open up opportunities for thousands of fresh graduates who are rather considered inexperienced in the job industry.
“Increase allocations for PSC by Ksh1 billion for a monthly stipend for interns,” read the BAC recommendations that must be adopted by the Treasury in the budget of the year starting July 2019.
The interns will be paid a monthly stipend of Ksh25,000.
The move is also intended to reduce the pressure on the PSC as over 60,000 employees of the government will have retired by June 2020.
This was in line with the Public Service Commission (PSC) in a circular issued on October 13, 2016, on the Internship Policy and Guidelines.
The stipend will come as a relief to interns in government bodies who, in most cases, are not paid to cover their basic expenses like transport and lunch leaving them to depend on relatives and friends.
“Following the release of the policy, the commission has, with effect from the date of this circular, approved the payment of a stipend to interns; holders of at least a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university — Ksh 25,000 per month,” the circular read.
The interns are also expected to reduce the pressure on the national government's bloated wage bill.
