On Tuesday during a cabinet meeting chaired by President William Ruto, he suggested that members of the Cabinet will do without a month’s salary so as to help Kenyans affected by the ongoing drought.
However, in Kenya, the Cabinet consists of secretaries, the President, Deputy President, and the Attorney General.
A resolution from the state house pointed out that “In solidarity with all Kenyans affected by the ongoing drought, the meeting resolved that all members will forgo one-month salary as their individual and collective contribution towards the ongoing State interventions that support all the Kenyans affected by the drought.”
Since a cabinet secretary in Kenya receives a monthly salary of Sh924,000, 22 cabinet secretaries will donate Sh20,328,000. The Attorney General earns the equivalent of CSS at Sh924,000.
Furthermore, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) and the gross salary for the President are Sh1,443,750 per month while the Deputy President earns Sh1,227,188. Therefore, the entire cabinet will contribute Sh23,143,313.
It should be recalled that during October, and November 2022 there was a severe drought in Kenya leaving the nomadic pastoralists to suffer with their cattle.
In northern Kenya, locals have taken to digging for drinking and cooking water underground in dangerous sand pits that they dig in dry riverbeds.
According to the UN, at least 4.35 million people in Kenya go to bed hungry, and approximately 5 million people do not have enough water for drinking, cooking or cleaning due to the drought.
In conclusion, therefore, The move by the Cabinet serves to complement already existing interventions aimed at helping drought victims across the country whose number stands at 4.3 million is such a great effort. Long live Kenya’s Cabinet.
