Government sets up task force to standardise civil service salaries

Government sets up task force to standardise civil service salaries
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku addressing the Kenya Civil Servants Delegates Conference at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, Nairobi, on October 14, 2025. PHOTO/X
In Summary

The task orce’s mandate will include creating a uniform framework for salaries and benefits across ministries, departments, and state agencies, ensuring employees with comparable qualifications and responsibilities receive equal pay.

The government has unveiled plans to tackle wage disparities across public institutions, aiming to ensure fairness and boost morale among civil servants.

The announcement came during the Kenya Civil Servants National Delegates Conference at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) in Nairobi on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.

Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development, and Special Programmes, Geoffrey Ruku, revealed the formation of a high-level task force tasked with driving the pay harmonisation agenda.

The team will draw members from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), the Public Service Commission (PSC), and the State Department for Public Service and Human Capital Development.

The task force’s mandate will include creating a uniform framework for salaries and benefits across ministries, departments, and state agencies, ensuring employees with comparable qualifications and responsibilities receive equal pay.

“To achieve equity and fairness in the public service, I have set up a task force. The President is working day and night to ensure the welfare of all public servants is well taken care of in terms of salaries, allowances, and working conditions,” Ruku said.

He emphasized that addressing pay gaps is both a constitutional requirement and a moral obligation, noting that differences in pay for similar roles have eroded employee motivation and efficiency.

“There is no reason as to why, for instance, an officer in the Ministry of Agriculture and another in a state agency such as KenGen should be paid differently if they hold similar qualifications and responsibilities. The principle of equity must be upheld,” he explained.

Ruku praised Kenya’s civil service as among the most effective in Africa and expressed confidence that the reform program would strengthen professionalism and operational efficiency.

He called on civil servants to maintain diligence, integrity, and accountability as the government works to improve their welfare.

“We want to employ the civil service to its capacity and ensure it works optimally,” he added.

Apart from salary adjustments, the Cabinet Secretary outlined broader welfare improvements, including better health insurance coverage and working conditions.

He confirmed that the government recently released Sh4.1 billion to the Social Health Authority to sustain the civil servants’ health insurance program.

“We want every civil servant to walk into any health facility and receive medical care without frustration. That’s our commitment,” he stated, noting that the ministry continues to work with the Ministry of Health and the Social Health Authority to guarantee smooth access to healthcare services.

Ruku also announced a review of all existing Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) to address implementation delays and close gaps affecting workers’ benefits.

At the same time, he urged civil servants to complement the government’s efforts by maintaining high ethical standards. “We must be responsible for our actions and ensure integrity in everything we do. As the government works to improve your welfare, you must also uphold ethical standards,” he added.

The conference brought together delegates from across the country to discuss public service reforms, employee welfare, and performance improvements.

The salary harmonisation initiative is expected to be a landmark reform, strengthening motivation, promoting transparency, and ensuring fairness in the compensation of civil servants.

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