Kenyan president, deputy take 80% pay cut to fight coronavirus

Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto have cut their salaries by 80 percent in a bid to free-up monies to combat the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

Kenyatta made this known in a speech from Statehouse in Nairobi. Kenyatta also said that Cabinet Secretaries and Chief Administrative Secretaries will take 30 per cent pay cuts, while Principal Secretaries will have their salaries reduced by 20 per cent.

“I call on the other arms of Government and tiers of Government to join us in this national endeavour, by making similar voluntary reductions; which will free-up monies to combat this pandemic,” Kenyatta said.

The president has also ordered and directed all State and Public Officers with pre-existing medical conditions and/or aged 58 years and above to take leave or forthwith work from home as part of the guidelines to encourage State agencies to establish and implement frameworks for staff to work from home.

However, as outlined in the circular issued to the Public Service on 16th March, 2020, this does not include personnel in the security sector and other essential services.

According to the United Nations, the African continent is seeing an “extremely rapid evolution” of the coronavirus pandemic.

Kenya on Thursday reported its first death from COVID-19, while the total number of confirmed cases in the country rose to 31. All international flights are suspended, and a curfew from 9pm to 7am is in place.

The country already implemented 100% tax relief to increase disposable income as many continue to be inconvenienced by new regulations.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection appropriated $95 million for the elderly, orphans and other vulnerable citizens through cash-transfers to cushion them from adverse economic effects of the pandemic.