On Tuesday, President William Ruto’s economic adviser, David Ndii, took to his X platform to share his payslip online, aiming to address concerns about government wages funded by taxpayers. Ndii disclosed that he received a salary of Ksh.666,364 in May 2024. In contrast, he highlighted his earnings from consulting work, where he earned Ksh.417,600 for his services during the same period.
“This is my pay, and I don’t steal. Next to it a typical invoice from my consulting work. You can do the math, my monthly pay is less than two days work. I’m not in this for money. Been there done that,” he said.
Ndii’s disclosure occurred against the backdrop of criticism aimed at Ruto’s Council of Economic Advisers, which reportedly received Ksh.1.1 billion in the budget. This sparked public scrutiny over the government’s burgeoning wage bill, particularly as it claims to have inherited depleted financial resources from the previous administration.
“Advisers are not paid entertainment allowance. The budget is for meetings. Our job entails policy development and implementation oversight. That means convening meetings typically 3-4 per day with 10-30 people each. The biggest facility in our office is boardrooms,” Ndii said in May 2024
In the past week, David Ndii has emerged as a staunch critic of the nationwide protests against the Finance Bill 2024. Kenyans have expressed widespread discontent over the government’s tax collection practices, demanding a comprehensive audit to ensure transparency in expenditure. Gen Z demonstrators have taken to the streets to advocate for the complete repeal of the Finance Bill and to emphasize the importance of government accountability.
