Taxpayers will cough nearly Sh460 million annually in salaries for the 50 Chief Administrative Secretaries nominated by President William Ruto on Thursday.
CAS are entitled to the same gross pay as Permanent secretaries whose pay was reviewed by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission to ShSh765,188 from Sh874.500.
They earn the same gross monthly salary as Permanent secretaries, putting the cost of servicing salaries of 50 CASs at Sh459 million per annum.
According to the Public Service Commission, Chief Administrative Secretaries will serve on contract as determined by the appointing Authority.
"This position is graded at CSG 3 in the Public Service - the remuneration and benefits commensurate to this level will be applicable,” the PSC notes.
CASs are also entitled to a one-off mortgage funding of Sh35 million and Sh10 million car grant.
This translates to Sh1.75 billion in mortgage expenditure and Sh500 million in car grants.
Additionally, taxpayers will provide Sh10 million and Sh3 million inpatient and outpatient medical cover for each CAS besides financing the daily running of their offices.
This includes servicing two top-of-the-range vehicles, a driver, and security personnel.
With the increase of the CASs from 26 in former President Uhuru Kenyatta's government to the 50 nominated by Ruto, the government may also need to provide extra office space to accommodate the additional CASs in ministries that may not have sufficient space.
