In March, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced that high ranking government officials would temporarily take pay cuts ranging between 20 to 30 per cent in order to allocate more funds towards coronavirus mitigation and to offer greater support to those suffering from financial hardship due to the crisis.
Now, a new voluntary exercise has been proposed that will see civil servants take temporary pay cuts as well. Those who opt into this civic scheme will be doing so in order to contribute to the war against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua announced that any public officer who volunteers to donate part of their salary will consent to doing so through a standardised form. They will retain at least a third of their gross salary after deductions.
Regional commissioners, departmental heads and county commissioners will be able to follow the example of President Kenyatta and various Cabinet and principal secretaries who have voluntarily relinquished a portion of their salaries.
This kind of move is unprecedented in Kenya’s history. It also sets an example to the world about what good governance means.
Politicians and other leaders have in the past disappointed. But they now have a chance to redeem themselves by giving back to the society.
Those who need their full salaries to take care of their families will not be forced to take pay cuts
There are about 210,000 civil servants in Kenya. Of that, 142,000 work in the county governments. According to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, they make 78,000 a month on average. This accounts for about Sh795 billion of the annual wage bill.
The goal of the temporary voluntary pay cut is to free up tens of millions of shillings for new social security measures that have been adopted because of the crisis. Like the rest of the world, Kenya’s economy has taken a hard hit from the global shutdown.
It is empowering to know that Kenyans have responded to the government’s measures in fighting Covid-19. According to Ms Jane Karuku, the head of the emergency response fund, Kenyans are really pulling together right now.
In her words, “Kenyans from all walks of life have responded positively sending in as little as Sh50 to several Sh100 million donations. This speaks to the admirable Kenyan Harambee spirit and commitment to unite in one accord.”
The emergency fund is accepting both cash donations as well as volunteers. It focuses on providing support to national response efforts by supplying medical facilities and equipment, as well as extra support for the vulnerable.
It also works on addressing immediate needs such as food distribution. Kenyans have many responsibilities towards each other during this unique time.
This starts with following regulations about staying at home, obeying curfew laws and observing physical distancing.
We cannot be careless about these rules if we want to save the lives. It is also necessary in order to avoid overburdening the healthcare system.
But what we can do extends beyond just following the rules. Many civil servants now have the opportunity to give back to the society.
After all, generosity is more valuable than money. Many young volunteers have jumped at the opportunity to distribute food, face masks, sanitisers and other essential goods, while some are even making face masks themselves.
We are in the midst of an all-out war. The 21st century has already brought us many surprises, and this might not be the last one.
But if we remain united, we shall beat the virus.
