Govt approves 12 per cent wage increase for house helps, watchmen and gardeners
By Mustafa Juma, June 6, 2026Domestic workers across Kenya are set to benefit from a new wage increase after the government officially approved a 12 per cent upward revision of the minimum wage structure affecting house helps, gardeners, watchmen, messengers, and sweepers.
The revised wage guidelines were published in a legal notice issued by Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua, implementing a directive announced by President William Ruto during this year’s Labour Day celebrations.
The adjustment is aimed at improving earnings for low-income workers and aligning wages with current economic conditions, including the rising cost of living.
Under the new structure, domestic workers employed in major cities such as Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, and Eldoret will now earn a minimum monthly wage of Ksh18,047, up from Ksh16,113 in 2024.
Employers in former municipalities and other large urban centres, including Ruiru, Mavoko, and Limuru, will be required to pay a minimum monthly wage of Ksh16,650.
In smaller towns and rural areas, domestic workers will earn a minimum of Ksh9,268 per month under the revised pay scale.
The new wage order also applies to gardeners, house servants, day watchmen, messengers, and sweepers, with remuneration adjusted according to geographical classification and job category.
Employers who fail to comply with the new wage regulations risk penalties, including a fine of up to Ksh50,000, imprisonment for up to three months, or both, under the country’s labour laws.
Ruto’s 12 per cent general wage increase directive
The move comes weeks after President William Ruto announced a 12 per cent increase in general wages and a 15 per cent rise in agricultural wages, in a move aimed at cushioning Kenyan workers against the rising cost of living.
Speaking during Labour Day celebrations at Chavakali High School on May 1, 2026, the President said the wage adjustments were part of the government’s broader plan to improve livelihoods and drive economic transformation.
“I am pleased to announce a 12 per cent increase in general wages and a 15 per cent increase in agricultural wages to all Kenyan workers. Happy Labour Day. May we continue building this nation together for this and for future generations as we strive to transform Kenya into a developed economy within our lifetime,” Ruto declared.
Atwoli clarifies Ruto’s directive
Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli moved to clear confusion surrounding Ruto’s Labour Day announcement on wage adjustments.
Addressing the press on Saturday, May 2, 2026, Atwoli insisted that the 12 per cent increase applies broadly to Kenyan workers and is not limited to minimum wage earners.
Atwoli said there had been widespread misinterpretation of the president’s directive, particularly from employers’ groups.
“The 12 per cent wage increase was not a minimum wage increase. It was a general wage increase, and you heard the president himself announcing it,” Atwoli said.
Atwoli emphasised that there is a clear difference between a minimum wage adjustment and a general wage increase, noting that the government’s directive was intended to benefit workers across different salary levels.
“There is a difference between minimum wage and a general wage increase. Fifteen per cent was a minimum wage increase for agricultural sector workers, but overall Kenyans, including those whose salary has been raised by 15 per cent, including you and me, you are entitled to the 12 per cent wage increase,” he explained.
He added that the clarification had been made directly by the president during consultations with labour officials.
“This is a general wage increase, and the president clarified it when we were having lunch. He told the minister for labour that this is not a minimum wage increase; I have given Kenyans a general wage increase,” Atwoli said.