Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua challenged dissatisfied Cabinet Secretaries to resign following President William Ruto’s directive to suspend their proposed salary increments.
Speaking at a Thanksgiving ceremony in Elgeyo Marakwet County, Gachagua highlighted President Ruto’s willingness to appoint alternative Cabinet Secretaries who are willing to accept the existing salary structures.
He urged the President to redirect the proposed funds to support various sectors of the economy, such as procuring additional fertilizers for farmers.
Gachagua boldly stated that any Cabinet Secretary who disagreed with President Ruto’s directive could choose to write a resignation letter. Their position would be filled by someone willing to accept the current salary.
“If there is a Cabinet Secretary who is not pleased with President William Ruto’s directive, you have a choice to write a resignation letter and let us find someone else who will accept that salary,” Gachagua said.
In an effort to emphasize fiscal responsibility, Gachagua instructed all high-ranking state officials to refund the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) in the event that they disregarded President Ruto’s orders.
Gachagua has previously been quoted saying that the government is broke.
The Deputy President emphasized that they did not want salary increments and that even if the money was allocated, they would not accept it. If the salaries were disbursed with increased figures, they would be returned.
“We don’t want salary increments. Even if the money is found, we will not accept it. If you remit the salaries with increased figures, we will return them to the sender,” Gachagua added.
This stance not only supports a sustainable and inclusive approach to managing the growing wage bill but also promotes transparency and integrity within the administration.
Gachagua expressed support for President Ruto, stating that other civil servants should receive salary increments starting from July 1. Cabinet Secretaries were expected to receive a salary of Ksh1,056,000 from July 2024, up from the current Ksh924,000.
On June 30, President Ruto rejected the proposed 14% salary increase from the SRC and instead directed the commission to create harmonized pay slips for all civil servants. He emphasized the need to reduce the salary gap and requested that the SRC follow internationally accepted formulas, such as the compression formula, before implementing any salary increments.
