Kenya announced Thursday the state officials to have salaries cuts and wipe off of perks and allowances. The move will help the country in reducing the wage bill to sustainable levels as well as to improve the service delivery of government too, said independent Salaries and Remuneration Commission.
The country underwent tight election just few weeks ago and in past several months protests and strikes were on rise over low pay by doctors, nurses and teachers compared to other workers in the country.
According to local news paper the salaries cut will include Kenyan president too apart from lawmakers and members of county assemblies.
With the new move there will be 13 percent salary cut for president and 12.5 percent salary slash for legislators.
With the salary cut the country will be able to save about 8.853 billion shillings and bring down the wage bill to below 35 percent of domestic revenue. Currently it is 52 percent, said the Commission.
The Commission added electoral commissioners and governors too will be affected by the salary cut besides parliament and senate speakers.
The Commission came into effect in 2013, but ahead of it the legislators had increased their pay to a significant high level leading to protests.
Protestors started branding the parliament as “a piggy bank” and calling members of parliament as “MPigs.”
The salary cut will be effective after the upcoming elections next month and to remain the same until the next elections scheduled to be held in 2022.
Several other African countries have the same trend of high pay for elected officials.
