Makau Mutua reveals the amount he earns as Ruto’s advisor
By Mustafa Juma, September 11, 2025Senior Advisor on Constitutional Affairs to President William Ruto, Professor Makau Mutua, has disclosed what he earns in his current role.
Speaking on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, during an interview with a local TV station, Mutua revealed that his salary as Ruto’s senior advisor is the equivalent of what Cabinet Secretaries earn.
The professor of law was pressed to reveal how much he takes home as a state officer. At first, he appeared reluctant, questioning why it was important for Kenyans to know the details of his pay.
However, when the interviewer insisted that he advises the Head of State — a public officeholder — Mutua conceded that his compensation is pegged at the same level as that of a Cabinet Secretary.
“Why is that important? I am paid the equivalent of a Cabinet Secretary,” Makau Mutua said.
Chairing Ruto’s compensation panel
Beyond serving as Senior Advisor on Constitutional Affairs to President Ruto, Makau Mutua was recently appointed as the chairperson of the Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Demonstrations and Protests.
President Ruto appointed Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo as vice-chairperson of the 15-member Panel of Experts tasked with fast-tracking the compensation of victims of public protests since 2017.
The panel’s launch at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) on Thursday, September 2025, was described by Mutua as a “historic, unprecedented, and bold step.”
Amnesty International and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights have documented more than 180 protest-related deaths since 2017, including 63 during the 2024 Gen Z protests and 38 this year alone.
Families at the KICC event demanded transparency, while lawyer Gitobu Imanyara branded the initiative a diversion from international scrutiny.
Cabinet Secretary’s salary
In Kenya, a Cabinet Secretary earns approximately Ksh990,000 per month in gross remuneration—this includes their basic salary, house allowance, and market adjustment as per the revised structure that has been in effect since July 1, 2024.
Before this adjustment, Cabinet Secretaries were receiving a lower gross monthly salary of approximately Ksh 924,000, comprising Ksh 554,400 as basic salary, Ksh 200,000 as house allowance, and Ksh 169,600 as market adjustment.