The Commission Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) nominee, Ali Abdullahi Surraw, faced the National Assembly’s Committee on Labour, chaired by Kilifi South Member of Parliament Ken Chonga, approval hearings on Friday, December 5, 2025.

Appearing before the committee, Surraw defended his suitability for the position by presenting an ambitious reform agenda focused on improving the management of public payrolls and wage structures.

Widening pay gap

He pledged to leverage technology to streamline data systems and enhance payroll integrity across both national and county governments. The nominee said he intends to upgrade SRC’s ICT and data platforms to ensure accurate, real-time information and to consolidate payrolls into a unified system.

According to him, this will help eliminate recurring issues such as double payments and the existence of ghost workers. Drawing from his extensive experience in governance, the nominee highlighted several challenges within the public sector wage environment.

He noted that 41 out of 47 counties have yet to meet the recommended 35 per cent wage-bill ceiling, describing the situation as unsustainable and in need of urgent intervention.

”He further cited discrepancies in service cadres and remuneration, stressing the need for harmonisation to promote fairness and predictability across the public service,” the National Assembly statement said in part on Friday.

Committee members questioned Ali on how he plans to address the widening pay gap between the public and private sectors—a disparity the Chair observed has driven many well-trained public officers to resign for better-paying private sector opportunities.

In response, Surraw expressed his commitment to ensuring competitive salary structures by conducting periodic, in-depth labour market surveys and adjusting public wages accordingly to retain skilled staff. The issue of career stagnation also featured prominently during the session.

Wamaua raised concerns that many public servants remain in the same cadre for extended periods without progression.

The Committee Chairman echoed these sentiments, noting that limited career growth has dampened morale and contributed to underperformance in government institutions.

Promotions in PSC

”Mr Ali acknowledged the concern but clarified that promotions fall under the mandate of the Public Service Commission (PSC), not the SRC. However, he assured the committee that, if approved, he would actively offer recommendations and advisory support to the PSC on matters affecting employee welfare,” the statement added.

He emphasised the need to strengthen stakeholder engagement to foster better relations between the SRC and its partners across government. The nominee added that this approach would help dispel the perception that the commission’s primary aim is to cut salaries, emphasising its role in managing a sustainable national wage bill through rational, evidence-based decision-making.

Additionally, he pledged to establish robust feedback mechanisms to keep stakeholders informed on key SRC decisions and initiatives.
With the hearings concluded, the committee is expected to prepare and adopt its report before tabling it in the House.