The Government notes with concern a press statement issued by the Committee for the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC) on the issue of remuneration of Commissioners of the CIC.
The main issue is not payment of salaries to the Commission but the proposed amount of money being asked for to pay the Commissioners. The Government is not in support of the exorbitant figures of Kshs.1.3 Million per month for the Chairperson of the Commission, Kshs.1.17 Million per month for the Vice Chair and Kshs.1.14 Million per month for each of the Commissioners of CIC, which translates to Kshs. 10.45 Million per month as salaries for the Commissioners only. Each Commission also has an establishment with a huge secretariat which has also to be paid with the salaries of staff pegged on the salaries of the Commissioners. It should also be noted that in addition to their salaries, each Commissioner will receive full Medical Cover paid for by the State and Official Government Vehicles for their transportation.
These rates are not only above normal rates for other state officers but unsustainable. Kenyans should bear in mind that there are going to be at least 25 Commissions. This means, tax payers will be paying over Kshs.250 Million per month as salaries to Commissioners plus hundreds of millions more for their staff bringing the bill to Wananchi for Commissions to billions of shillings, per month.
In other countries, such as the United States of America, for example, President Barrack Obama set a new policy indicating that no State Officer should be paid more than US$.170, 000 per year which is approximately Kshs.I Million per month for their top state officers.
Kenya is a much poorer economy than the United States. We have millions of Youth who are unemployed; we have many Kenyans facing starvation due to the drought and we do not even have enough money to provide for enough Police Officers as per International quotas to ensure proper security coverage for all Kenyans. In addition, we are not able to staff our hospitals with enough staff and the list is endless.
The Government urges all Kenyans, especially those in Public Service that theirs is a service for the country. This is a new Kenya and the days of excesses are over. With the current prices of food due to the drought situation, it is improper for anyone to insinuate a go-slow in their work because they have not been paid millions of shillings.
Therefore, the Government has asked the Public Service Commission and the Treasury to review the proposed salaries downward to ensure more sustainable levels that are a reflection of our poor economy and reality, as we await the formation of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission.
Dr. Alfred N. Mutua, EBS
The main issue is not payment of salaries to the Commission but the proposed amount of money being asked for to pay the Commissioners. The Government is not in support of the exorbitant figures of Kshs.1.3 Million per month for the Chairperson of the Commission, Kshs.1.17 Million per month for the Vice Chair and Kshs.1.14 Million per month for each of the Commissioners of CIC, which translates to Kshs. 10.45 Million per month as salaries for the Commissioners only. Each Commission also has an establishment with a huge secretariat which has also to be paid with the salaries of staff pegged on the salaries of the Commissioners. It should also be noted that in addition to their salaries, each Commissioner will receive full Medical Cover paid for by the State and Official Government Vehicles for their transportation.
These rates are not only above normal rates for other state officers but unsustainable. Kenyans should bear in mind that there are going to be at least 25 Commissions. This means, tax payers will be paying over Kshs.250 Million per month as salaries to Commissioners plus hundreds of millions more for their staff bringing the bill to Wananchi for Commissions to billions of shillings, per month.
In other countries, such as the United States of America, for example, President Barrack Obama set a new policy indicating that no State Officer should be paid more than US$.170, 000 per year which is approximately Kshs.I Million per month for their top state officers.
Kenya is a much poorer economy than the United States. We have millions of Youth who are unemployed; we have many Kenyans facing starvation due to the drought and we do not even have enough money to provide for enough Police Officers as per International quotas to ensure proper security coverage for all Kenyans. In addition, we are not able to staff our hospitals with enough staff and the list is endless.
The Government urges all Kenyans, especially those in Public Service that theirs is a service for the country. This is a new Kenya and the days of excesses are over. With the current prices of food due to the drought situation, it is improper for anyone to insinuate a go-slow in their work because they have not been paid millions of shillings.
Therefore, the Government has asked the Public Service Commission and the Treasury to review the proposed salaries downward to ensure more sustainable levels that are a reflection of our poor economy and reality, as we await the formation of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission.
Dr. Alfred N. Mutua, EBS
PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS SECRETARY &
GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON
11th July, 2011
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