NAIROBI, Kenya May 1 – President Uhuru Kenyatta handed Kenyans a 12pc increase in the minimum wage, a perfect gift to workers in the lower carders.
He made the declaration at Nyayo National Stadium during celebrations to mark Labour Day marked globally on every May 1.
“As a caring government, we find there is a compelling case to review the minimum wages so as to cushion our workers against further erosions, and in that effect, I today declare an increase of the minimum wage by 12% with effect from May 1, 2022,” President Kenyatta stated.
This year’s Labour Day celebrations convened by Central Organisation for Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli was marked under the theme “Job Creation, Peace, and Sustainability.”
Atwoli has been pushing for a 24 per cent increment in the minimum wage.
Ernest Nadome, the first Assistant Secretary-General for COTU earlier said the trade union expected the government to review the minimum wage for unionisable workers by 23- 24 percent to help cushion them against the rising cost of living.
The Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) opposed the increment while citing depressed earnings due to hard economic times, including the high cost of operation, for most firms.
The minimum wage was last reviewed in 2018.
“We are just asking the government to go out of its way and allocate something about the cost of fuel has gone up, this is a pass-through cost that most of the employers have loaded that in their cost. It means in terms of margins it has not affected them that much,” he stated.
The minimum wage in Kenya currently stands at Sh13,500.
COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli, Azimio La Umoja Movement flag bearer Raila Odinga, Labour Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui, and Federation of Kenya Employers Executive Director Jacqueline Mugo were expected at the event.
The Labour Day celebrations are held every year on 1st of May to recognize Kenyan workers for their commitment towards growing the country’s economy.
Atwoli commended President Kenyatta for working to ensure peaceful and transparent nominations are a precursor of peaceful general elections.
