PSC Announces Bonuses for Select Civil Servants

Public Service Commission (PSC) office in Nairobi.
Public Service Commission (PSC) office in Nairobi.
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The government, through Public Service Commission (PSC), has announced plans to issue bonuses to a section of civil servants.

According to a report by Business Daily, PSC is in talks with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to offer bonuses as a way of improving motivation and performance. 

The scheme, which is contained in the Public Service Commission Performance Management Regulations 2021, will target government employees such as teachers and nurses who exceed set targets.

"The objective of the scheme shall be to reward excellent performance by public officers.

Salaries and Remuneration Commission chairperson Lyn Mengich
Salaries and Remuneration Commission chairperson Lyn Mengich
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SRC

"The Commission shall seek the advice of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) where it intends to award cash prizes under the awards scheme," read the statement in part.

The proposal aims at creating a reward scheme in which the successful employees would receive cash prizes in addition to their salaries for their ethics and innovations.

It was revealed that the committee responsible for the rewards would consist of two commissioners selected by PSC chairperson, a representative from the related ministry, another from Treasury as well as two representatives from public bodies.

PSC has also indicated that employees who repeatedly post subpar performances risk sacking.

The poor performers will be accorded a window of improvement through retraining as well as coaching and counselling before being shown the door.

"Impose sanctions on the employee including warning, deferment of increment, demotion, withholding promotion and non-renewal of contract in accordance with the act," added the proposal.

The proposal has already been presented before the National Assembly select committee which is chaired by Tiaty MP William Kamket.

This comes just a week after Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) rewarded its entire workforce of 14,000 people with bonuses equivalent to their monthly basic salaries.

In a notice, KRA Commissioner General Githii Mburu noted that all employees would receive bonuses equivalent to a month's basic salary for helping the organisation surpass its set targets on tax collection.

In the 2020/2021 financial year, KRA surpassed its target for the first time in eight years by more than Ksh16.81 billion to post revenues of Ksh1.669 trillion.

The target for the period had been pegged at Ksh1.652 trillion in the 2021 Budget Policy Statement.

KRA Boss James Githii Mburu gives an address during a past event
KRA Boss James Githii Mburu speaks at a conference in 2019
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