Kenyan President William Ruto has directed his ministers and lawmakers to refrain from excessive spending, halting their recent salary increase amidst public backlash and widespread protests.
Hussein Mohammed, spokesperson for the Kenya State House, made this announcement on Wednesday, July, following intense criticism surrounding reports of the salary hike for government officials.
“The President has stressed the importance of fiscal responsibility across all branches of government,” Mr. Mohammed stated, noting that President Ruto has ordered a reassessment of salaries for ministers and lawmakers.
Reports surfaced on Tuesday, July 2, revealing that cabinet members and Kenyan MPs under Mr. Ruto’s administration had received a salary increase effective July 1.
As per local media, the raise for cabinet secretaries raised their earnings from Ksh. 957,000 to Ksh. 990,000 plus allowances, while principal secretaries' salaries increased from Ksh. 792,519 to Ksh. 819,844. Similarly, the speakers of the National Assembly and Senate saw their salaries climb from Ksh. 1,185,327 to Ksh. 1,208,362, and MPs’ salaries rose from Ksh. 725,502 to Ksh. 739,600.
Although discussions about these salary adjustments had been ongoing for months, their implementation coincided with violent protests against a tax hike, which resulted in over 39 deaths and numerous injuries.
However, Mr. Ruto has now opted to suspend the salary increments for ministers and lawmakers, responding to the public outcry and the prevailing economic challenges.
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