By Stephen Oinga
On 28 October 2024, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) initiated monitoring and evaluation (M&E) visits across Kenya’s 47 counties, scheduled to conclude on 13 December 2024.
These visits aim to engage the leadership of the county executive and county assembly in assessing adherence to SRC circulars on remuneration and benefits.
As part of the assessment process, county governments shall submit key data through an Automated Wage Bill Monitoring System.
The first week of the visits covered the following counties, Embu, Kirinyaga, Bomet, Kajiado, West Pokot, Trans Nzoia, and Machakos. Multiple teams were deployed across the regions, led by Commissioners Wangui Muchiri, Hon. Sen. Isaac Melly, and Abdiwahab Abdi, alongside Commission Secretary/CEO Anne Gitau and secretariat staff.
This initiative not only reinforces SRC’s policies, but also facilitates discussions to establish corrective measures where necessary. In Embu, Anne Gitau underscored the alignment of the M&E initiative with the Third National Wage Bill Conference goal of achieving the desired wage-bill-to-revenue ratio of not more than 35 per cent by 2028.
Commissioner Wangui highlighted the importance of these visits for providing clarity on SRC guidelines and aligning county practices. “The visits aim to interpret SRC circulars clearly and agree on corrective measures where needed,” said Commissioner Wangui in Kajiado, following a meeting with Joseph Olelenku, Governor, Kajiado County.
Commissioners Hon. Sen. Melly and Abdi led engagements in West Pokot and Bomet counties, respectively, fostering collaboration with the county leadership to effectively manage the public wage bill.
The M&E exercise reflects SRC’s commitment to engaging stakeholders and building strong partnerships.