Yes, streamline civil servants allowances to trim wage bill

John Monyoncho SRC Commissioner speaking when the Salaries & Remuneration Commission announced that it has issued a draft allowances and benefits policy for the public sector aimed at streamlining the management and administration of allowances in the public sector. [Wilberforce Okwiri,Standard]

The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has proposed drastic cuts in allowances for civil servants. SRC proposes that allowances paid to civil servants should not exceed 40 per cent of their gross pay.

The aim is to cut down on a runaway wage bill. According to SRC, allowances alone took up Sh322 billion, accounting for 48 per cent of the wage bill in the 2018/2019 financial year.