Govt Triples Uhuru's Retirement Benefits

An undated file image of President Uhuru Kenyatta toasting
An undated file image of President Uhuru Kenyatta toasting
File

The government has allocated Ksh72,000,000 as gratuity for retired Presidents as stipulated in the recurrent expenditure estimates for the financial year 2021/22 tabled before Parliament.

The Treasury has created a new budget item named the "gratuity for retired Presidents" come July 2022, which coincides with the end of President Uhuru Kenyatta's tenure. According to the budget estimates, the figure will increase to Ksh79,200,000 in the financial year 2024/25. 

Further, the monthly pension for retired Presidents is set to rise from the current Ksh34,426,600 to Ksh42,426,600 (2022), Ksh42,776,149 (2023) and Ksh47,053,765 in the 2024 financial year.

Former President Mwai Kibaki (left) with President Uhuru Kenyatta (right) in an event in 2010
Former President Mwai Kibaki (left) with President Uhuru Kenyatta (right) in an event in 2010
File

Former President Mwai Kibaki is set to become the best-paid serving and retired public servant earning an average monthly payment of Ksh2.86 million, more than Uhuru's Ksh1.44 million monthly salary.

Selected benefits for ex-Presidents involve monthly pensions which are 80 percent of current salary, allowances ( for house, fuel entertainment, and utility), furnished officers and bodyguards.

Others include two personal assistants, four secretaries, four messengers, four drivers and four cars which are replaced after every four years, 

These perks ultimately push the overall benefits above salaries and allowances of top executives of Government firms such as KenGen, Kenya Power, and Kenya-Re.

In the same document, benefits for MPs going into retirement will rise from KSh983,170,000 in 2021 to KSh1,827,265,440 in 2022.

The new development comes as a constant debate by political bigwigs is raging on Uhuru's future after his term ends in 2022.

Some leaders are of the opinion that Uhuru would use the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) to extend his term or seek the Prime Minister slot.

Uhuru, however, has maintained that he will not extend his term come 2022.

"Let’s remain patriotic. I am not interested in power after my retirement, but am ready to serve the country in any capacity,” Uhuru stated during a past interview with Coro FM.

President Uhuru Kenyatta on May 1, 2021.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on May 1, 2021.
PSCU