Win for workers as minimum wage increased by 12 per cent
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Loading... - Ruhiu Brian
- 02 May 2022
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Kenyan workers had a reason to smile during this year’s Labour Day celebrations after the government increased the minimum wage by 12 per cent.
President Uhuru Kenyatta made the announcement on Sunday while presiding over Labour Day celebrations at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi.
The lowest paid workers will now earn Sh1,620 more, which pushes the minimum wage to Sh15,120.
Before the increase, the minimum wage was Sh13,500 and the figure had remained the same in the last three years.
Uhuru noted that there has been a hike in the cost of living with inflation hovering around 5-6 per cent annually.
He said his administration fully appreciates “the critical contribution Kenyan workers have made to the economy during very difficult times.”
“As a caring government, we find there is a compelling case to review the minimum wages so as to cushion workers against further erosion of their purchasing power while also guaranteeing competitiveness of our economy,” he said
“I declare an increase of minimum wage by 12 percentage points with effect from 1 May 2022,” he stated.
This year’s event was marked under the theme: Job Creation, Peace, and Sustainability.
It was the first time the fete will be held in public after the Government lifted the strict Covid-19 regulations.
There were were fears to miss out on a pay raise for the fourth year in a row after recent talks between trade unions, Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE), Labour Ministry and Central Organisation for Trade Unions (COTU) collapsed.
Workers through their trade unions have been pushing for increased wages, but FKE had been insisting the government should first allow the economy to recover.
The government last announced a five percent increment in the minimum wage to cushion workers against inflation in 2018. Read More…
