Salaries body says send off perks for state officers illegal

The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has warned state agencies both at the national and county level against setting retirement and send off packages without its authority.

This comes as a number of agencies plan to create multibillion send off packages that threaten to drive up the country’s wage bill.

SRC Chairperson, Sarah Serem, says the salaries body noted with growing concern plans by public officers to enact bills to enhance their retirement packages.

For instance, Parliament is pushing to pass a 3.3 billion shillings severance package as legislators seek compensation for the early end of their terms.

Serem says any attempt by public office holders to pay themselves more under the guise of send-off packages will violate the provisions of Chapter Six of the Constitution.

Heading into the August 8th polls, the government has been squeezed into a corner, approving a 100 billion shillings pay rise for civil servants.

The pay hike will push the government’s wage bill to over six hundred billion shillings.

Report by Fred Ngetich