Yesterday, during the release of the performance contracting report for the 2021-22 financial year at KICC, President William Ruto stated that the country will no longer borrow to pay civil servants’ salaries.
However, the head of state acknowledged that civil servants’ salaries had indeed been delayed, but said his administration was on course to building a stable economy that is not dependent on unnecessary and excessive borrowing.
Currently, debt service consumes more than 60 percent of the revenue generated by the state.
According to Treasury on average, the government requires about Kshs 50 billion monthly for civil servants’ salaries and another Kshs 8 billion for payment of pensions.
Read: President Ruto’s Government Public Debt Crisis
For the first time in many years, thousands of government employees went for Easter holidays without their March salaries.
Things are even tougher for county workers who are owed up to three months’ worth of pay.
Speaking at Parliament buildings, Opposition leaders led by National Assembly Minority leader Opiyo Wandayi, warned the government against any retrenchment plans for civil servants while creating unconstitutional offices with lofty pay perks like those of chief administrative secretaries.
Wandayi led team demanded the formation of a team to investigate government spending. They warned the country is in the red and will soon plunge into bankruptcy if serious steps are not taken to bring it back on the rails.
“We need a committee of legislators and finance experts to urgently examine the expenditure regime, administration and policies obtaining at the National Treasury, the Kenya Revenue Authority, Registrar of Persons, Kenya Ports Authority and associated public bodies in the revenue generation and collection chain,” stated Wandayi.
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