Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has called for a review of the monthly stipend offered to interns under government programmes, citing the rising cost of living as a major challenge for young jobseekers.

In a notice tabled in the Senate on Monday, June 16, the senator appealed to the Public Service Commission (PSC) to revise its internship guidelines to better support individuals transitioning into the job market.

Cherargei argued that the current stipend, ranging from Sh15,000 to Sh30,000 is no longer sustainable, especially for interns based in high-cost urban centers like Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu.

Senator Cherargei further criticized the structure of the Public Service Commission’s internship programmes, saying they are not only few in number but also offer little promise of long-term employment.

He pointed out that the internships often lack a clear transition to permanent and pensionable roles within the public sector.

He also raised concerns about the short duration of these programmes, arguing that they limit meaningful skill acquisition for young professionals entering the workforce.

“Internship opportunities remain scarce, unevenly distributed across government entities, and fail to provide a structured path to stable employment,” Cherargei said.

“Moreover, the average monthly stipend of Ksh15,000 to Ksh30,000 is inadequate and unsustainable, especially in today’s economic climate.”

In his petition to the Senate, Senator Samson Cherargei also called for legislative amendments to create structured systems for recognizing and rewarding innovation among interns.

He emphasized the need to incentivize creativity and productivity within internship programmes.

This is not the first time the outspoken senator has challenged the current framework of the Public Service Commission’s internship scheme.

In May of the previous year, he tabled a similar motion urging the standardization of intern pay across government institutions.

Cherargei argued that many interns continue to work without compensation, while others receive minimal support often limited to meals like breakfast and lunch rather than actual stipends.

He maintained that a uniform pay structure would go a long way in addressing the struggles faced by young professionals entering the job market.

He specifically referenced the case of intern doctors, who were at the time staging protests to demand an increase in their monthly stipend from Sh70,000 to Sh206,000, as a reflection of the broader frustration among interns across various sectors.