Kenyan taxpayers will spend more than half a billion shillings annually on salaries and benefits for the 50 Chief Administrative Secretaries (CASs) whose names were forwarded to Parliament for approval on Thursday, putting more strain on the Exchequer amid questions on their value for money.
The CASs, who were nominated by President William Ruto, will each earn a monthly salary of Sh765,188, bringing their cumulative monthly and annual remuneration to Sh38.26 million and Sh459.11 million respectively.
The amount, which excludes other benefits like car grants, mortgages and insurance will further balloon their wage bill amid high debt servicing obligations.
Each CAS will also be entitled to a one-off mortgage of Sh35 million and a Sh10 million car grant, Sh10 million inpatient insurance cover and a further Sh3 million for outpatient treatment.
Kenyans will also foot the cost of two top-of-the-range vehicles, a driver, an unspecified number of security personnel, a personal assistant and two secretaries for each CAS.
The hundreds of millions spent on the CASs will further stretch the public wage bill that was projected at Sh958.5 billion as of June 2022.
There is no cap on the number of CAS positions, and Dr Ruto has nominated three CASs for the offices of the Deputy President and Prime Cabinet Secretary as well as some ministries including the Interior, Trade and Education.
The appointment of the 50 senior ministry officials comes against the backdrop of austerity pronouncements by Dr Ruto’s administration.
