President Uhuru Kenyatta says the teachers’ demands for increased pay are unrealistic, dashing hope of the striking instructors for fat salaries. The 50-60% salary increase may not be affordable for now unless Kenyans dig deeper into their pockets through more taxes.
Speaking for the first time over the pay standoff, the President said the current wage bill is already overstretched. Teachers are currently on strike and public primary and secondary schools are yet to open two weeks later.
“We have to be frank and examine our wage bill versus our present economic situation. In order to pay more, we must be able to earn more first,” he said.
“Teachers had a very legitimate case when they asked for their pay to be harmonised with the rest of the civil servants, asking for more now will mean the other civil servants will have a similar case and we will have a completely unsustainable wage bill.”
He was speaking at State House after signing five business Bills into law. The new laws — including the Companies Act, the Special economic Zones Act and the Insolvency Act — are aimed at making Kenya more attractive for investors and improving the ease of doing business.
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