The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) on Thursday, June 29, reviewed the salaries of state officers. The review, recommended new monthly salaries for these officials, all of which reflect an increase in their pay.
In a significant development, the SRC made a groundbreaking recommendation that, for the first time since the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution, Chief Justice Martha Koome will earn a higher salary than Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, starting from 2024.
In the latest review, the SRC proposed that starting from 2024, Gachagua's monthly pay be set at Ksh1,402,500, while Koome's recommended monthly salary was pegged at Ksh1,403,942.
The SRC's decision was based on a number of factors, one of the primary considerations was the importance of the judiciary as an exceedingly crucial arm of the government.
To underscore the judiciary's importance, the SRC review positioned Chief Justice Koome a level above her counterparts in the Legislature, namely National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula and Senate Speaker Amason Kingi.
In the review, CJ Koome will also earn Ksh147,219 more than Wetang'ula who will take home Ksh1,256,723 every month. In the same fashion, Koome will also earn Ksh147,219 more than Kingi who will rake in the same amount as Wetangula.
The three arms of the government including the Executive, Judiciary and Parliament all play important roles in nation-building, and the range of their significance was also demonstrated in the salary scales of top state officials.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu's salary, will be capped at Ksh1,304,185 per month minus allowances.
As an independent body, SRC is responsible for setting and regularly reviewing the remuneration and benefits of state officers in Kenya.
"The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) is established under Article 230(1) of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, to set and regularly review the remuneration and benefits of all State officers, and advise the national and county governments on the remuneration and benefits of all other public officers. In discharging its mandate, SRC is guided by principles set out in Article 230(5) of the constitution, and Section 12 of SRC Act, 2011," SRC stated.
The SRC's guidelines for salaries review are based on the fairness of the following principles, which means that the salaries of state officers should be fair and equitable, taking into account the nature of the work, the level of responsibility, and the qualifications and experience required.
The commission is also guided by the principle of sustainability, in which the salaries of state officers should be affordable and sustainable, taking into account the overall budget constraints of the government.
In undertaking the exercise, the first step in the salaries review process by SRC is to conduct a job evaluation. This involves assessing the different jobs in the public service in terms of their nature, level of responsibility, and qualifications and experience required.
The SRC then conducts a salary survey to collect data on salaries in the private sector. This data is used to benchmark the salaries of State Officers against the private sector.
SRC then develops a remuneration package for state officers, which includes the basic salary, allowances, and benefits. At times, SRC is required by law to invite public participation, where the proposed remuneration package is then subjected to public consultation.
This allows stakeholders, such as trade unions and professional associations, to provide feedback on the proposed package.
