Chief Administrative Secretaries (CAS) will earn salaries of up to Ksh 780,000 if appointed, according to a new advisory by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).

In a letter to the Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, SRC recommended a basic salary of Ksh 459,113 and a raft of benefits for holders of the positions including a house allowance of Ksh165,000.

At the same time, CASs will be entitled to a salary market adjustment of Ksh155,887 bringing the gross pay to a total of Ksh780,000. 

Other benefits tied to the position, according to the advisory by SRC include an official government car, a Ksh8 million car loan, a mortgage of Ksh35 million, and medical cover.

The letter came days after the National Assembly passed amendments to the National Government Laws (Amendment) Bill 2023 to allow the President a leeway to appoint the CASs.

According to SRC, the CAS position will fall under job grade F1 which merits the benefits outlined in the advisory. The current benefits, according to the SRC, will remain in place and will not change unless upon a subsequent advisory.

CAS nominees kept in waiting

Nominees for the position have been kept in waiting for over a year now after President William Ruto’s move to appoint them encountered roadblocks posed by court cases and legal hurdles.

The President had in a controversial move appointed 50 persons to occupy the CAS positions in the various government ministries as assistants.

However, the appointments sparked outrage from various quarters with concerns about sustainability and their legality arising.

Among the contentious aspects of the CAS position was the failure by the National Assembly to vet the nominees as the Speaker ruled that there was no provision mandating the house to vet members.

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In July 2023, the High Court declared the appointment of persons to the position unconstitutional while citing the lack of substantive public participation.

With the new amendments, the President will have the leeway to appoint as many CASs as possible after a late move by the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) to remove the cap initially set at 22.

CAS appointments pose challenge for sustainability calls

However, the appointment will likely contradict recent affirmations by the Kenya Kwanza administration vowing to ensure sustainability in the public service and management of the public wage bill.

Just a week ago, the President led stakeholders in the public service in calling for action towards driving the wage from the current 46% of the total government revenue towards the 35% target.

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The decision is also likely to spark outrage among taxpayers coming at the time the government has been adamant in its position that the Ksh206,000 demanded by striking doctors as remuneration of interns is unsustainable.

Nominees who have been kept in the waiting include digital strategist Dennis Itumbi, former Laikipia Women Representative Cate Waruguru, and former Senator Milicent Omanga.

However, some nominees have since been absorbed into other positions in the public service including the recently appointed ambassadors.

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