The government has announced that a directive by President William Ruto on having government employees aged 60 and above retire is set to impact approximately 39,361 civil servants within the next five years.
Government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura made the announcement in a statement on Thursday, August 22, 2024, while highlighting that President Ruto’s directive will result in a substantial increase in job vacancies over the coming years.
Mwaura said this directive aims to streamline government operations and provide new employment opportunities for the younger generation.
This directive is part of a broader set of austerity measures designed to address public feedback and enhance government efficiency for the fiscal year 2024/2025.
Mwaura elaborated on the expected outcomes of this policy, noting that the figure expected to retire includes both permanent and pensionable staff and those on contract, collectively creating around 46,000 job vacancies.
“The government wishes to report that this Presidential directive is being implemented. A total of 39,361 civil servants are expected to retire within the next five years, based on the June 2024 payroll.
This is in addition to the 7,477 officers who have retired between 13th September 2023 and 30th June 2024 from State Departments, County Executives, and County Assemblies,” Mwaura stated.
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“The payroll also indicates that 43,976 officers are aged 55 years and above and are expected to retire between this year and 2029, with 7,662 expected to retire in this financial year alone.”
Mwaura Reveals Govt’s Plan to Retire Over 43,000 Civil Servants
Further, the spokesperson said that over 7,000 positions are anticipated to open up for young job seekers this year alone, adding that a reorganization of the government is intended to align with the public’s desire for a more dynamic and youthful workforce in the civil service.
Public Service Commission (PSC) data reveals that as of December 2023, there are over 4,500 civil servants who are already 60 or older.
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Additionally, another 25,879 employees, aged between 56 and 60 years, will reach retirement age in the next three years.
This influx of retirements will notably affect various sectors, with public universities being hit the hardest. They currently employ at least 2,573 staff members aged over 60, along with 3,362 employees aged between 56 and 60.
State corporations, ministries, and constitutional commissions will also see significant changes.
For example, state corporations are expected to release 10,889 workers, while ministries and state departments will lose around 775 employees. Constitutional commissions will see 23 members retire, with another 348 more expected to exit by 2027.
This large-scale retirement wave is anticipated to be a crucial moment for the government to refresh its workforce.
Win for youth after Ruto’s directive
The increase in job vacancies is expected to provide a substantial boost to youth employment, addressing the ongoing issue of joblessness among young Kenyans.
The move comes as part of President Ruto’s broader commitment to listen to public concerns and make necessary adjustments to government policy.
Ruto in July directed public servants who have attained the retirement age of 60 to proceed to retirement.
He said there will be no extension of tenures of public servants who are 60 and above, whatsoever while announcing measures the government was taking to cut costs,
The Head of State was addressing the nation from State House, Nairobi on July 5 when he noted that the withdrawal of the Finance Bill, 2024 has resulted in reduction of revenue targets by Ksh346 billion.
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