Employers have come under sharp criticism after the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) accused them of allegedly influencing the government's decision to implement the general wage increase for all workers.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

According to COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli, employers have been lobbying the government to abandon President William Ruto's promised 12 per cent general wage increase in favour of a minimum wage adjustment.

The accusations come days after the government published a Gazette Notice revising the statutory minimum wage but omitted the 12 per cent general wage increase that President Ruto had pledged on May 1.

In the gazette notice dated June 26, the government increased the minimum wage for all domestic workers , including miners, cooks and waiters, watchmen, gardeners and drivers.

📌 What You Need to Know

According to COTU, the move falls short of the President's commitment and denies millions of Kenyan workers the salary adjustment they had expected.

"The President unequivocally announced a 12 per cent general wage Increase for Kenyan workers and a 15 per cent wage increase for agricultural workers," Atwoli said, insisting that the commitment should be implemented in full.

He argued that the recent gazette notice only raises the statutory minimum wage, meaning employees who already earn above the minimum threshold will not benefit from the changes.

According to Atwoli, a minimum wage adjustment is different from a general wage increase, and the two should not be confused.

He explained that while a minimum wage is designed to protect the lowest-paid workers, a general wage increase raises salaries across the entire wage structure, allowing all employees to benefit.

The union further argued that the promised 12 per cent salary increase was intended to cushion workers against the rising cost of living and persistent inflation, which continue to erode household incomes.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke