CS Ruku denies plan to cut civil servants’ salaries following SRC pay increase
By Aloys Michael, February 18, 2026The government has brushed off claims that it is in the process of revising civil servants’ salaries downwards, assuring public officers that no pay cuts are under consideration.
This follows recent reports claiming that salary adjustments had been made to introduce reductions even as the government begins clearing the data of ex- civil servants amid payroll and pension concerns.
Speaking during an interview on a local Radio station on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, the Public Service Cabinet Secretary, Geoffrey Ruku, said that the government’s priority is not to slash salaries but to implement measures aimed at boosting civil servants’ take-home pay.
”We just revised the salaries upwards the other day. I want to tell you that the government has no plans at all to adjust the salaries downwards,” he stated.
The jitters came even as civil servants in Kenya’s national government began 2026 with a pay rise backdated to July 1, 2025, after the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) approved new salaries and allowances under Phase I of the 2025–2029 remuneration review cycle.
However, the CS has clarified that the government has no plans to reduce what civil servants are currently earning, urging the public servants to disregard the reports and remain focused on service delivery because any changes require approval of the Parliament.
”For a fact, it is only Parliament with the ability to make such cuts to salaries through the legislative process, and I can say that there is no such consideration before the House. I want to assure that there is absolutely no need to panic,” Ruku explained.
Salary structure
One major change is the introduction of the Salary Market Adjustment (SMA). This combines entertainment, domestic servant, and other extra allowances into one payment to make the system simpler and easier to manage.
House allowances are now grouped into three categories. Cluster 1 is for Nairobi. Cluster 2 includes major cities like Mombasa, Kisumu, and Nakuru, plus important towns. Cluster 3 covers all other parts of the country.
The SRC says workers based in Nairobi will get the highest house allowance increase, while those in smaller towns and rural areas will receive lower amounts, depending on the cost of living in their locations.
The pay rise marks the first phase of the fourth remuneration and benefits review cycle for 2025–2029, with further reviews expected in subsequent phases.