Presidential Staff Salaries: The salaries and allowances paid to the staff of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto increased four times to Sh. 8.64 billion in the year ended June 30, 2021.
According to the Controller of Budget, the salaries and allowances increased by 282 per cent from Sh. 2.26 billion a year earlier. The increase in the spending on salaries and allowances in the two offices and other State agencies was reported to have forced the government to divert loans meant for development projects to compensate employees amid cash-flow struggles by the Exchequer.
“There were instances where revenue from loans and grants meant to fund development activities was applied to the recurrent budget,” said Margaret Nyakango, the Controller of Budget. She said that Kenya diverted funds from a Sh. 80.78 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund to pay salaries and allowances in June.
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She further added that Kenya used Sh. 18.16 billion from a Sh. 70.17 billion loan meant for the state departments for housing, urban development, and ICT & Innovation to pay salaries and allowances. “Data shows that allowances and salaries for staff in the Office of President and that of his deputy have been growing quarter on quarter and hit Sh. 5.43 billion in March from Sh. 355.8 million a year earlier,” a report on the presidential staff salaries that appeared in a local daily said.