Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has made significant changes to the General Wages Council, following a recent announcement of a substantial wage increase for government employees.

The move comes as part of a broader effort to overhaul civil service salaries and address mounting worker dissatisfaction.

Mutua’s new appointments include Bernard Muteti Mungata as the Chairperson of the General Wages Council, with Joel K. Chebii, Caroline Rutto, and Selina Ngei representing trade unions.

Dickens Ouma, Stephen Obiro, and Sammy Mulwa have been designated to represent employers, while Rister Muthoka Musau and Teresa C. Maina will serve as independent members.

These appointments are set to take effect from September 6, 2024, and will last for a term of three years.

The reshuffle follows a government announcement earlier this week, revealing a new pay rise for all civil servants, which will be backdated to July 1, 2024. This decision comes as a relief to workers who had threatened to strike over the government's failure to implement a collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

The Union of Kenya Civil Servants (UKCS) had been vocal about the government’s delay in fulfilling the agreement, which is designed to be executed in two phases: the first from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, and the second from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025.

Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi announced that the Treasury has allocated Ksh1.5 billion to support the pay rise. “The State Department for Public Service will use the approved budget for FY 2024/2025 to ensure that our civil servants are well-compensated and motivated to serve Kenyans with excellence,” Muturi stated.

He added that the aim is to create a performance-driven culture, enhancing productivity and restoring public confidence in governmental services.

According to a circular issued by Principal Secretary Amos Gatecha, the new salary structure will impact employees in job groups CSG17 to CSG4. For those receiving a house allowance, cluster category rates will be adjusted from July 1, 2024.

The new pay scales will see increases ranging from Ksh1,000 to Ksh3,000, depending on the job group. For instance, employees in the lowest cadre, CSG 17, will see their monthly salary rise from Ksh16,920 to Ksh19,340.

Meanwhile, those in CSG 16 will earn between Ksh18,250 and Ksh21,940, and the highest-paid employees under Grade 4 will receive between KSh182,890 and KSh339,780 per month.

The adjustment affects various job grades, including Grade 15 (Ksh19,340 to Ksh23,520), Grade 14 (Ksh20,560 to Ksh25,420), Grade 13 (Ksh25,420 to Ksh32,000), Grade 12 (Ksh28,620 to Ksh35,720), and Grade 11 (Ksh34,420 to Ksh44,410). The structure continues up to Grade 5, where salaries will range from Ksh146,360 to Ksh245,000.