Senior officials in the public service are set to earn less for three months after the government released details of the implementation of a voluntary salary cut scheme.
In a memo dated April 20 authored by the Head of Civil Service Joseph Kinyua, the new guidelines stress on ensuring the exercise remains voluntary, giving officers serving in the constitutional commissions, independent offices, county governments and other agencies the option to join the scheme freely.
Sources within government said that MPs, judges and magistrates are ranked in the category of independent offices, who can decide to join the scheme on their own volition.
Officials targeted in the scheme would see their salaries slashed in the months of April, May and June before a review is made.
“The voluntary salary cuts shall be for an initial period of three months with effect from April 2020. However, this is subject to review based on the advice of the Ministry of Health on the Status of Covid-19 pandemic in this great nation,” reads of part of Kinyua’s letter addressed to all principal secretaries, accounting officers and chief executive officers.
According to Kinyua, the percentage deduction of the salaries shall be effected on the net package arising after statutory deductions such as the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF).
While making the announcement on the voluntary salary cuts on March 25, President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto have foregone 80 per cent of their monthly salaries towards efforts to fight coronavirus.
“In sharing the burden occasioned by the present global health pandemic, over the duration of the global crisis and commencing immediately, my administration has offered a voluntary reduction in the salaries of the senior ranks of the National Executive,” President Kenyatta said when he announced the salary cuts.
Once implemented, this will see the President, who earns Sh1.44 million a month, according to figures from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, take home Sh280,000.
Ruto who pockets Sh1.22 million a month, will be left with about Sh240, 000.
Cabinet Secretaries, who take home Sh924,000 per month, will be earning Sh640,000 while Principal Secretaries currently earning Sh765,000 will get a 20 percent pay cut to Sh610,000, while Chief Administrative Secretaries will take a 30 per cent pay cut.
SRC has not tabulated the monthly salaries of CAS, whose roles and functions are not stipulated in the constitution.
According to Kinyua, each public officer participating in the voluntary salary cuts should voluntarily authorise his or her accounting officer by a signing a given form.
Kinyua has also given civil servants below the ranks of CAS the option to decide the amount of money to be deducted.
