State commits to fully implement civil servants' pay agreement as strike looms

The government has committed to fully implementing the second phase of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for civil servants, following a strike threat issued by the Union of Kenya Civil Servants (UKCS).

Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi announced on Tuesday that the Treasury has agreed to allocate the necessary funds, with payments to be backdated from July.

The UKCS has now agreed to call off the planned strike after the development.

The agreement between the Union and the government was confirmed during a joint press conference held by CS Muturi and UKCS Secretary-General Tom Odege.

"By the end of the month, all of them [civil servants] will get their pay backdated," Odege said during the briefing.

He further emphasised that Muturi had assured them that the government had "agreed to provide resources for the payment of civil servants as per the terms contained in the CBA."

The strike threat arose after the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) froze all salary increments, citing concerns over the wage bill.

The SRC argued that the decision was necessary due to the financial challenges being faced by the exchequer, including increasing debt repayment obligations and missed revenue targets.

The civil servants had on Monday, moved to court, challenging the SRC's decision, claiming it violated their rights and the Constitution.

They are seeking an order to temporarily suspend SRC's decision while their application is being reviewed.

“Any salary cut or delay in any manner is likely to financially affect our members, low and middle-level employees regarding their daily survival,” the Union said.

The Union further claimed that salary negotiations were set to be implemented in two stages. The first stage was intended to cover the period from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, while the second stage was to extend from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025.