- Kenya Kwanza Administration seeks to secretly pass the bill forcing senior civil servants to retire at 55
- The bill is a resurface from 12th Parliament where it was sponsored by Starehe MP Charles Kanyi alias Janguar, now by Embakasi Central MP Benjamin Gathiru
- Employees targeted have unanimously opposed the bill urging government to instead increase the retirement age to 65 like other Jurisdictions
Over 100,000 employees in attainment of 55 years and above have registered their reservations on what legislature is planing behind the curtains to retire them forcefully
Speaking to safinews.co.ke on Sunday 6th July, under anonymity, they have termed the move as unconstitutional and backwardness as it seeks to reverse back the gains of the new constitution
“The bill touching on employees and public should have passed through public participation, it’s unconstitutional for such bill to sneak into parliament without consulting the affected people.
We want the legislature to follow due process, The Ministry of Labour and the National Labour Board have a duty to give policy directions on the matter,” Anonymous stated
The Kenya Kwanza Government vide the Public Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2023, a private member’s Bill sponsored by Embakasi Central MP Hon. Benjamin Gathiru is secretly sponsoring the bill now before the National Assembly Committee
The National Assembly’s Labour Committee, intends to amend the law and peg retirement age in Kenya to 55 years from 60 years that was negotiated, agreed and codified in law among East African Community [EAC] Member States.
Human Resource managers in Ministries in April were secretly asked to provide data of civil servants above 50 years old.
“Retiring people en mass is not cheap. They gotta raise the budget. There are also issues such as those repaying loans under the current retirement age. Let them address those.
Retiring 85,000 civil servants above the age of 55yrs, won’t solve the unemployment problem of 5million youth.
The economics around it actually dictates we raise the retirement age. The quandary behind the chaos in France at the moment,” He added
Statistics from other Jurisdictions, for example, in Europe, retirement age is 65 years and now being lobbied to 70 years due to lack of skilled workers and the hemorrhage of Pensioners.
“Whereas EAC member States (especially Kenya) are struggling to finance their monthly wage bill for the working class, developed economies like Europe are convincing their civil servants to extend their retirement age to 70 years in order for their governments to make savings in Pension Schemes and to harness the immense benefits of the their selfless wealth of experience.,” Another employee observed
This, according to the already targeted workers, majority of skilled workers and the most productive age bracket in the civil service is 50-65 years given the lethargic nature of our youthful population who are in dire need of making quick buck and bromance!
“The secret of success among the senior citizens is that they don’t have physical energy to be aggressive but have all the time to dedicate their attention to their employers and quick to share their top-notch wealth of experience to the market demands.
Paradoxically, the youth in Kenya are restless and not ready to learn from senior citizens but yearning for higher positions without the prerequisite experience and wherewithal,” The source added
Sources from National Treasury department of pension arguably noted it’s a disaster awaiting to happen as service delivery will be massively interrupted by losing so many experienced civil servants at one ago
A source said the reason the retirement age was moved to 60 was because the government could not meet its pension obligations. “The officers versed with calculations are about to retire. The young officers have no clue,” the source remarked
The same bill was rejected in the 12th Parliament, by the then National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale, currently, Defence Cabinet Secretary, opposing it’s passage as it will affect workforce and negative retention
It was sponsored by the then Starehe Member of Parliament Charles Kanyi alias Janguar, passing through first and second reading where it flopped in the third reading
Majority of Members of the National Assembly opposed the bill arguably that the disputed age offers efficient, effective and honest services as compared to youths