CS Moses Kuria emphasized that the excessively high wage bill is depriving Kenyans of their hard-earned money, as nearly one million public servants contribute to the burden.

He highlighted the moral and ethical implications, stressing that addressing the wage bill is not merely theoretical but a matter of morality, ethics, and fairness.

The CS made the remarks during the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) media briefing Friday at the Nairobi Safari Club.

The brief came ahead of the 3rd National Wage Bill Conference set to be held at the Bomas of Kenya next week, 15-17 April 2024.

The Ministry of Public Service, Performance, and Delivery Management pledged a radical and comprehensive reform of the public service to address the bloated wage bill, recognizing the urgency of the situation.

The commitment to reducing the wage bill to 35% of revenue by 2028 was made at the 10th Ordinary Session of the National and County Governments Coordinating Summit, aligning with the Public Finance Management Act of 2012.

CS Kuria acknowledged the National Treasury’s efforts in monetary policies but noted that fiscal management challenges persist, with development budgets fully funded by borrowing, leading to exorbitant interest rates and competing demands for limited resources.