Kenyans could soon pay more taxes if teachers are to be paid their salary increment. The higher taxes may be imposed on citizens to raise a total of Sh17 Billion needed to pay teachers this year.
Treasury Principal Secretary Kamau Thugge told the National Assembly Finance Committee that the government had three difficult options to meet the teachers' 50 to 60 percent higher salaries awarded by the labour court.
“We have three options which we have to put on the table. We will either have to raise taxes, borrow to raise the required amount, or come up with a supplementary budget, which would affect development spending,” he said.
The PS said that all the options are difficult for the government which is why the Teachers Service Commission had been fighting hard to stop the pay hike.
The government warned that picking any option from the three would have dire consequences on the economy.
Thugge also expressed fears that the pay increase for the teachers would influence other public sector workers to demand higher pay.
However, the government said it is committed and will comply will the ruling of the court.
See also: VIDEO: Supreme Court Upholds Ruling To Increase Teachers' Salaries
If the new salaries are effected the lowest paid teacher who now earns Sh16,692 will get a maximum of Sh26,707, while the highest paid will pocket Sh163,634 up from Sh109,089.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers Secretary General Wilson Sossion has threatened that no teacher would report to class in September when schools open if the new salaries are not paid.
On Monday the Supreme Court upheld the ruling previously made by the Labour Court to award teachers a 50-60 percent salary increase sending teachers into tremendous jubilation.
