Kenya Today
Ex Cabinet Secretaries to Receive Millions as A Farewell Pay
The Cabinet Secretaries who served during Uhuru Kenyatta’s government will walk away with up to Ksh 20.8M as they exit the government to pave a way for the new administration.
A lot of concern has been raised regarding this pay because it is likely to sabotage the integrity of the new Cabinet Secretaries. It is lesser than the amount received by other Cabinet Secretaries over the years.
Principal Secretaries who served in president Uhuru Kenyatta’s government are likely to receive an amount closer to that.
The pay surfaced just after the new president William Ruto appointed his 22 Cabinet Secretaries on September 15th, and only one Cabinet Secretary from the previous regime was retained.
Cabinet Secretaries are entitled to 31 percent gratuity of annual basic pay for every year served. However, these ministers are not entitled to a pension as the Deputy President and Chief Justice who qualify for lifetime pensions, luxury cars, or other lavish benefits after leaving the public service.
Analysts argue that this less pay could compromise the integrity of Cabinet Secretaries in charge of a billion shillings.
“A State officer serving on fixed term shall serve on contract and be paid a service gratuity at the end of the term at the rate of 31 percent of annual basic pay for every year served,” the SRC said in a gazette notice, which set the payment details for the current administration.
The outgoing ministers who served since Mr. Kenyatta’s regime are Raychelle Omamo, James Macharia, Amina Mohamed, Fred Matiang’i, Najib Balala, and Adan Mohamed. Each one of them is set to receive Ksh 20.8 million.
Joe Mucheru and other individuals who took office in December 2015 after a restructure will each receive a farewell package worth nearly Sh15 million.
Only Simon Chelugui has been retained as the Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and SMEs. At the same time, Monica Juma, who worked on the Energy docket during Mr. Kenyatta’s second term, was named Dr. Ruto’s Security Advisor.
Dr. Ruto also named ex-Finance minister Musalia Mudavadi as Prime Cabinet Secretary in an Executive team that includes seven women.
