President Uhuru Kenyatta declared a 12% increase in the minimum wage effective May 1st 2022, during the Labour Day celebrations today at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi.
In his speech, the President stated that this increase is meant to cushion the country’s workforce against the high cost of living due to external economic factors.
Since the last review in 2018, the minimum wage in Kenya stood at Ksh. 13,500.
The President also directed Simon Chelugui, the Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection, to immediately gazette Central Organization for Trade Unions (COTU)’s representative on the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Board of Trustees.
Likewise, President Kenyatta regretted the unending tension between Russia and Ukraine, adding that it has played a significant role in the current fuel crisis and slowed down the global economy’s recovery from the Covid 19 pandemic.
“Wakati tumejaribu kuona tutafanya aje tujiokoe na tumeanza kuona barabara sasa, wengine walianza vita ambavyo hatuelewi na imesababisha bei ya mafuta kupanda na kutuletea shida zingine,” he added, stating that the challenges were way beyond him.