Public servants across the country will start earning higher salaries from August 1 after the government approved a fresh pay review aimed at improving workers’ welfare.
Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku announced the salary increment, which covers both basic pay and key allowances.
Speaking at Londiani Boys High School in Kericho County, Mr Ruku said the directive was approved by President William Ruto as part of efforts to reward public servants and enhance efficiency in government.
He said the government remained committed to ensuring that public officers are fairly compensated while strengthening accountability and service delivery.
The CS, however, coupled the announcement with a tough warning to ministries, departments, agencies, county governments and State corporations, directing them to immediately migrate their payrolls to the Government Human Resource Information System (GHRIS).
Ruku at the same time warned that institutions that fail to comply with the directive within the prescribed timelines risk suspension of salary processing and payment of allowances.
He described GHRIS as a secure, tamper-proof platform that will seal loopholes exploited through payroll fraud and ensure that only genuine public servants receive salaries and benefits.
Speaking he noted the digital system will help eliminate ghost workers and other payroll irregularities that have for years cost taxpayers millions of shillings.
“The platform will safeguard the integrity of the government payroll by ensuring only duly verified public servants benefit from government remuneration,” he said.
The CS said maintaining an accurate database of all public servants would support better workforce planning, improve service delivery and promote prudent management of public resources.
He urged public officers to uphold the national values and principles of governance under Article 10 of the Constitution and the principles of public service under Article 232, saying professionalism, integrity, accountability and transparency were essential in rebuilding public confidence.
Mr Ruku noted that the latest salary review follows another pay adjustment implemented in January, which was backdated to July 2025, saying the government remained committed to progressively improving the welfare of its workforce.
The announcement comes as the government intensifies efforts to clean up the public payroll following an internal audit by the Ministry that uncovered widespread payroll tampering and other irregularities.
Following the audit, the Cabinet directed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to investigate those behind the alleged fraud, recover lost public funds and prosecute those found responsible.
Mr Ruku said the combined implementation of the salary review and mandatory migration to GHRIS would strengthen transparency, accountability and efficiency in the public service while protecting taxpayers’ money from abuse.
