Civil servants get Sh17.7bn pay increase in new budget

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National Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo on March 6, 2023. PHOTO | LUCY WANJIRU | NMG

Civil servants are set to receive a Sh17.7 billion salary increment in the new financial year that starts on July 1 after the Treasury allocated the money in the budget in what could worsen Kenya’s wage bill crisis.

Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo told Parliament that the money had been factored into the 2023/24 estimates following recommendations of a job evaluation by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).

“We have allocated Sh17.7 billion for salary increment for civil servants following a job evaluation exercise by the SRC,” Dr Kiptoo told MPs.

“I and the Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u met the SRC last week over the job evaluation recommendations. We are in consultation and once we agree and the decision is officially communicated, we will release the money to various ministries, departments and agencies of government.”

Dr Kiptoo said the Sh17.7 billion allocation is an indication of the cost of the salary review report that the SRC has presented to the Treasury.

He appeared before the National Assembly’s Committee on Finance and National Planning to explain the ministry’s budget for the financial year 2023/24.