President Uhuru Kenyatta, on Saturday, approved a plan by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to slash government workers' pay.
The president endorsed the move explaining that it was in line with a recommendation from the African Union that advised on good governance.
According to Daily Nation, the president further divulged that the move would reduce the wage bill which was part of his goals when he got into office.
“With respect to the overall cost of operating a devolved system of government and the ballooning wage bill, appropriate measures have been conceived and are being implemented to address those issues comprehensively.
"In this regard, I want to make it clear, I fully support the guidelines issued by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) on salary scales for the Public and State Officers. The Commission’s efforts will help in containing the public wage bill,” stated Uhuru.
He was speaking to senior civil servants, diplomats and public policy assessors from the African Union at State House.
Kenyans.co.ke reported earlier that the SRC had started reviewing the 149 allowances that were paid out to employees, with the objective of eliminating most of them.
The commission wants only the relevant allowances to be consolidated in the basic salary structure, instead of the current scenario where some civil servants live off allowances.
The exact percentage to be slashed, however, remains a mystery until SRC's report is released.
The first phase of the review will involve reviewing house, hardship, leave, and subsistence allowances.
The second will involve updating the list of grants and engaging stakeholders before the final implementation of the recommendation.
