Lyn Mengich, the chairperson of the Salaries and Remunerations Committee (SRC), has expressed her stance that Kenya should maintain the mandatory retirement age at 60.
Mengich believes that lowering the retirement age would lead to a higher pensionable liability for the nation, as more Kenyans would become eligible for pensions.
Mengich further contended that it would be impractical to dismiss employees at a relatively young age when they still possess valuable experience.
During an interview on Spice FM, she emphasized the importance of considering global trends as a benchmark for retirement policies, noting that some countries do not have a specified retirement age.
“The conversation should be what works for Kenya. If you say people retire at 55 it means they are pensionable at 55 yet they are people who are still productive, they can contribute effectively to the country,” Mengich stated.
Currently, the mandatory retirement age for public servants and teachers is set at 60 years, and 65 for individuals with disabilities. However, there is a legislative proposal before Parliament to lower the retirement age to 55. The Public Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2023 aims to implement this reduction.
In 2009, the government raised the retirement age from 55 to 60 years and extended it by five more years for all Kenyans with disabilities in the public service. This revision was attributed to the government’s struggle with a significant pension bill as more individuals retired.
Supporters of the proposal argue that lowering the retirement age would create more opportunities for young professionals to advance in their careers within the public service.
