Kenyan President William Ruto has scrapped planned pay raises for cabinet members and parliamentarians, yielding to public pressure.
The move comes on the heels of last week’s protests, which led to the withdrawal of a contentious finance bill that included tax increases.
According to Lyn Mengich, Chairperson of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), the proposed salary hikes for state officials will be put on hold due to the current economic conditions.
The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) had initially proposed a 2% to 5% pay increase for all state officials, including judges, BBC reports. However, the plan was met with public scrutiny, with many questioning how politicians’ salaries, including those of governors, could be raised amid a supposed financial crisis.
Following discussions with the National Treasury, the SRC has now made a U-turn on the decision. The proposed increases, which were set to take effect from the beginning of this month, according to a notice issued last year, have been put on hold.
However, Public Service Minister Moses Kuria has stated that he will not execute the pay raises as they pertain to cabinet members, indicating a partial exemption from the proposed salary increases.
President Ruto scrapped plans to hike taxes after protesters demonstrated, citing the already crippling cost of living increases.
The public urged the government to curb its spending instead, a promise President Ruto has made.
Several lawmakers, including Senator Aaron Cheruiyot from the ruling coalition and opposition MP Adan Keynan, who supports the government, have urged parliament to reject the proposed pay increase, labeling it as “tone-deaf” and out of touch with the people’s struggles.
According to the state-funded rights commission, at least 39 people have lost their lives in the demonstrations that have rocked the country over the past two weeks.
The protests took a dark turn on Tuesday, descending into chaos as looters targeted shops and supermarkets.
In response, the police have released images of 38 individuals wanted for perpetrating violence and lawlessness.
Meanwhile, some of the young Kenyans behind the protests claim that hired thugs have infiltrated the demonstrations, forcing them to reassess their strategy and consider calling off the protests altogether.
Saharareporters
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