How Ruto’s 50 CAS will cost Kenyan taxpayers
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Kenyan taxpayers will spend over KSh 5.4 billion in five years on salaries, allowances, and other benefits for Ruto's 50 CAS
Kenyan taxpayers will spend over KSh 5.4 billion in five years on salaries, allowances, and other benefits for Ruto’s 50 CAS.
The 50 Chief Administrative Secretaries (CAS) whose names were forwarded to Parliament for approval on Thursday will cost Kenyan taxpayers more than half a billion shillings yearly in wages and benefits, adding pressure on the Treasury amid concerns about their value for money.
The CASs, who were appointed by President William Ruto, will each receive a salary of Sh765,188 per month, for a total compensation of Sh38.26 million per month and Sh459.11 million per year.
The sum, which is excluding of additional advantages like grants for cars, mortgages, and insurance, will cause their pay bill to soar in addition to their substantial debt-service responsibilities.
Each CAS will also be entitled to a one-off mortgage of Sh35 million and a KSh10 million car grant, Sh10 million inpatient insurance cover, and a further Sh3 million for outpatient treatment.
Kenyans will also foot the cost of two top-of-the-range vehicles, a driver, security personnel, a personal assistant, and two secretaries for each CAS.
50 CAS will also be entitled to a house allowance of KSh 200,000 and a KSh 100,000 entertainment allowance.
The hundreds of millions spent on Ruto’s 50 CASs will further stretch the public wage bill that was projected at Sh958.5 billion as of June 2022.
Their appointment comes against the backdrop of austerity pronouncements by Ruto’s administration.
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The Kenya Kwanza administration cut the total budgetary spend for the current fiscal year by Sh14 billion in its first mini-budget, including dropping many infrastructure projects started by retired President Uhuru Kenyatta in a bid to ease pressure on loan repayments.
There are also questions on the value for money that the additional officers bring to taxpayers, who are battling the high cost of living that has triggered demonstrations across the country.
The appointments have come weeks after the Employment and Labour Relations Court threw out a petition by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) which argued that the setup was illegal and would lead to a bloated wage bill.
The LSK also said it was likely there would be duplicity of roles of the CAS and principal secretaries, “which would further bloat the public wage bill without corresponding improvement of services”.
The court noted though that the Public Service Commission followed the right legal procedure in establishing the office, including taking steps such as inviting public views.
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