Uhuru's CSs To Get Millions Upon Exit

Cabinet Secretaries (CS) who served in former President Uhuru Kenyatta's government will get a gratuity payment of up to Ksh20.8 million each following their exit to pave way for the new Cabinet assembled by President William Ruto.

A report by the Business Daily on Thursday, September 29 revealed that Principal Secretaries (PSs) – who are the administrative heads at each State department – will also earn close to Ksh20 million, particularly those who served since 2013 when Uhuru ascended into power for his two terms.

“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 per cent of annual basic pay for every year served,” the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) said in a gazette notice, which also set the payment details for the current administration.

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta's Cabinet Secretaries at President William Ruto's first Cabinet meeting. /VIRALTEAKE

The outgoing CSs who have served from the start of Uhuru's reign in the first Cabinet that was sworn in mid-May 2013, including Raychelle Omamo, James Macharia, Amina Mohamed, Fred Matiang’i, Najib Balala and Adan Mohamed, will walk away with Ksh20.8 million each in gratuity.

A Cabinet Secretary who served from 2013 and earned a graduated salary of between Ksh792,000 to Ksh1.056 million took home Ksh10.3 million in gratuity payment at the end of 2017. In the second term where the Cabinet Secretaries earned Ksh924,000 monthly, the individual will take home Ksh10.5 million.

This brings the total amount that a Cabinet Secretary who served consecutively for the two terms to Ksh20.8 million.

Those who took office in December 2015 after the former Head of State reshuffled his Cabinet, such as former Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) CS, Joe Mucheru will get a farewell package of close to Ksh15 million.

The Cabinet Secretaries who served only in Uhuru's second term, and earned a monthly salary of Ksh924,000, will each receive Ksh10.47 million in gratuity.

The farewell gift to CSs and PSs is premised on the fact that they are not entitled to a pension, but a gratuity equivalent to 31 per cent of annual basic pay for every year served.

Unlike other State officers such as a Deputy President, Speakers of Parliament and Chief Justice, Cabinet Secretaries and PSs are not entitled to lifetime pensions, top-of-the-range vehicles and juicy perks upon exiting the public service.

Pension experts believe that the Ksh10.47 million could guarantee the Cabinet Secretaries a monthly pay of Ksh45,000 if they opted to invest the money in pension annuities, a product that pays an investor a regular income for the rest of their life.

The CSs appointed by President Ruto will be accustomed to huge benefits after they undergo vetting by a parliamentary committee. A serving CS gets a monthly salary of Ksh924,000, broken down to a basic salary of Ksh554,400, a house allowance of Ksh200,000 per month and a monthly market adjustment of Ksh169,000.

They are also accorded transport; CSs get an official car with an engine capacity not exceeding 3000cc. That means they can drive luxury cars such as Mercedes Benz, Land Rover, BMW and Toyota SUVs among others that fall in the category of 3000cc and under.

For medical benefits, an annual medical cover is provided which caters to one spouse and up to four children below the age of twenty-five years fully dependent on the state officer. It is broken down as follows: Inpatient: Ksh10 million, Outpatient: Ksh300,000, Maternity: Ksh150,000, Dental: Ksh75,000 and Optical: Ksh75,000.

CSs also get a car loan of up to Ksh10 million and a mortgage of up to Ksh40 million. They also get Ksh20,000 of monthly airtime and an annual leave allowance of Ksh50,000 per annum.

They also get a daily subsistence allowance for local and international travel as well as personal security.

Ruto retained two CSs from the Cabinet of his predecessor as well as elevated Ababu Namwamba to the CS for Sports, having served as Foreign Affairs Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS).