Govt Moves To Address Unequal Allowances Among Public Servants

The National Assembly’s Committee on Implementation, chaired by Budalang’i MP Raphael Wanjala, has revisited efforts to streamline public servants’ allowances, focusing on disparities in house and hardship allowances across various sectors.

This comes after a petition by a teacher based in Kilifi Municipality called for enhanced house allowances for educators working in the area. The petition, previously reviewed by the Public Petitions Committee, led to House resolutions directing action by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).

Appearing before the Committee, the Acting Secretary/CEO of SRC, Margaret Njoka, confirmed that house allowances had been harmonized for Cluster 3—covering Kilifi Municipality—and Cluster 4. She said the harmonization took effect on July 1, 2024, under the third remuneration and benefits review cycle.

However, MPs raised concerns over inconsistencies in the classification and payment of hardship allowances across the public service.

“Why isn’t there harmonization of allowances for teachers and public service officers, yet teachers are also serving in the public service?” Wanjala posed.

In response, Dr. Jane Imbunya, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, Human Capital Development, and Special Programmes, acknowledged that the variation stems from different hardship designation criteria used by various arms of the government.

She said the civil service, county governments, and state corporations currently have 16 areas marked as hardship zones, while the teaching service has 44 and the Judiciary 21.

Dr. Imbunya added that a comprehensive report on reviewing hardship designations across the entire public service is complete and awaiting Cabinet approval.

TSC Acting CEO Eveleen Mitei assured the Committee that teachers in Kilifi Municipality are receiving their correct salaries and the enhanced house allowance as provided for in the 2023 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Njoka further told the Committee that the SRC will continue to review and harmonize allowances in the upcoming fourth remuneration and benefits cycle for the financial years 2025/26 to 2029/30. This, she said, will be in line with Article 230(5) of the Constitution.