By Lauryne Akoth
President Ruto officially closed the third National Wage Bill conference today at the Bomas of Kenya.
The three-day conference commenced on April 15th and concluded today, with the overarching theme Towards 35%.
During the 10th Ordinary Session of the National and County Governments Coordinating Summit held at State House, Nairobi on December 18, 2023, chaired by the President, a resolution (Resolution 15) was passed.
It mandated the SRC, in collaboration with the Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee (IGRTC) and Council of Governors (COG), to convene the National Wage Bill Conference, 2024.
Additionally, the resolution stipulates that the national government is committed to reducing its wage bill to 35 percent of revenue by 2028, per the Public Finance Management Act (PFM), 2012, and encourages county governments to align with this target.
The conference provided a platform for researchers, practitioners, and educators to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, and concerns, as well as practical challenges encountered, and solutions adopted in the public wage bill sustainability through productivity improvement.
The event was graced with several speakers including the SRC chair Lyn Mengich, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Musalia Mudavadi, Felix Koskei, Council of Governors Chair Anne Waiguru, and Cabinet Secretary for Labour Florence Bore among others.
His Excellency the President also presented the Wage Bill accountability awards to the winners and congratulated them for setting an example for the rest of the public sector.
He also put non-compliance state agencies on notice and pledged to spearhead the war against corruption.
