Engineers sue PSC at Supreme Court over pay and allowances
The Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) President Shammah Kiteme said the legal action is meant to secure better job grades and allowances that have been withheld for years.
Engineers have turned to the Supreme Court in an attempt to compel the Public Service Commission (PSC) to review their pay and allowances in the civil service, arguing that their current terms are unfair compared to other professionals.
The Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) said the legal action is meant to secure better job grades and allowances that have been withheld for years.
“We particularly expect that on successful petition, engineers’ entry grade to civil service will be improved from the current CSG 10 to CSG 9, engineers will enjoy risk allowance, and engineers will enjoy non-practising allowance,” IEK President Engineer Shammah Kiteme stated.
He explained that the case follows a series of efforts to push for reforms through dialogue with PSC, beginning on December 15, 2022.
In March 2023, IEK submitted a comprehensive proposal after comparing engineers’ terms with those of doctors, lawyers and architects. Despite this, PSC declined to adopt the recommendations.
“In the course of this exercise, it became very clear that engineers have been subjected to grievous labour injustices,” Kiteme added.
Attempts to resolve the matter included a two-day retreat held in Mombasa on September 26 and 27, 2023, which brought together PSC, IEK, the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK), the Kenya Engineering and Technical Registration Board (KETRB), and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).
Follow-up meetings were also held on May 24, 2024 and May 2, 2025, but no agreement was reached.
The institution pointed to PSC’s July 1, 2025 circular granting non-practising allowances to lawyers in the civil service as proof of bias, insisting that engineers have been left behind despite repeated appeals.
“Having been unsuccessful in engaging PSC to improve the terms of service for engineers, the council decided to pursue the matter of correcting this injustice through the courts. We hope that the courts will grant the petition filed and allow engineers to enjoy risk and non-practising allowances as well as review of the entry in civil service from CSG 10 to CSG 9,” Kiteme said.
The case comes against the backdrop of growing unrest among engineers, who have recently held demonstrations over unemployment and what they describe as discrimination in the civil service. They want the government to create at least 10,000 jobs for qualified engineers across the country.
IEK has also accused some foreign contractors of sidelining Kenyan engineers or paying them poorly while profiting from public projects. The institution has urged the government to strictly enforce existing policies to protect local professionals and ensure fair compensation.
In addition, IEK wants foreign firms audited to confirm that engineers are being paid fairly and has called for penalties against companies that misuse professional licences or dismiss engineers without proper payment.
