One of the questions that President William Ruto’s administration has consistently faced has been why public officers continue living large at a time the same government laments that its coffers are empty.

Barely a week after the government announced far reaching measures to contain the rising wage bill against the collected revenue, Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has outlined the pay package for the yet to be appointed Chief Administrative Officers (CAS).

Besides the Sh780,000 monthly pay, a CAS would also enjoy n attractive annual medical cover that includes Sh10 million for inpatient, Sh300,000 for outpatient, maternity (Sh150,000), dental (Sh75,000), and optical (Sh75,000).

Ruto’s first attempt to reward some of his cronies, former opposition bigwigs who crossed over to his side and some political rejects in the last General Election with the CAS position had been scuttled by the courts.

Determined with his mission, he took the matter to the National Assembly where the legislators removed the caveat previously put by the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee capping the number of CAS at 22. The President now has the free hand to appoint the number of CAS he wishes.

While the Constitution allows for a minimum of 14 and a maximum of 22 Cabinet Secretaries, its drafters conveniently removed the position of assistant minister, ostensibly in a bid to curtail the executive from abusing his prerogative powers to bloat government with individuals for political expediency. The Ruto administration seems determined to return  the country to the pre-2010 Constitution days.

It would be understandable if a position was created in instances where uniquely qualified people were needed in government. But most of the people appointed to these positions have no special skills or technical expertise. In fact, many are ethically or morally compromised individuals.

While the government has been issuing edicts ordering spending cuts across the executive, ministries, departments, and agencies as part of austerity measures, on the other hand it continues to be profligate.

The Controller of Budget has revealed that travel costs for different State agencies went up by Sh3 billion to Sh11 billion over the first six months  of the current financial year.

Notably, the SRC decision comes at a time the government is adamant against increasing stipend paid for intern doctors from Sh70, 000 claiming it is broke.