Pressure is mounting on the Salaries and Remuneration Commission after workers drawn from independent constitutional offices moved to force urgent salary talks, issuing a 14-day ultimatum tied to rising living costs, delayed pay adjustments, and what they describe as years of stalled negotiations on employment terms.
Through the Kenya Independent Commissions Workers Union (KICOWU), employees are now demanding formal discussions with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission to establish a Collective Bargaining Agreement that would regulate pay, allowances, and welfare benefits across the institutions they serve.
In a letter dated April 16, 2026, the union said workers in independent commissions have been left without a structured framework to negotiate salaries and working conditions, despite the economic pressure affecting households across the country. It warned that the situation can no longer continue without formal engagement.
“We look forward to hearing from you the soonest possible but not later than fourteen (14) days, bearing in mind the high cost of living and inflation affecting the employees of the Commission,” said Njeru Kanyamba, Kenya Independent Commissions Workers Union (KICOWU) Secretary General.
The union says the proposed Collective Bargaining Agreement is meant to correct long-standing gaps in pay structures and bring uniformity across commissions. It wants comprehensive discussions covering salaries, allowances, welfare provisions, union rights, and general working conditions.
At the centre of the demands is a proposed salary review that would raise pay by between 20 per cent for higher cadres and up to 50 per cent for lower cadres, with staggered adjustments across all job levels. The union argues that workers have not benefited from recent pay reviews despite inflation rising steadily over time.
Alongside salaries, KICOWU is pushing for a major overhaul of allowances. It is proposing house allowance increases ranging from 20 to 50 per cent, commuter allowance adjustments of up to 100 per cent for some job groups, and extraneous allowances rising between 50 and 100 per cent depending on job category.
The union also wants changes to leave benefits, proposing that the current fixed leave allowance be replaced with an annual payment equivalent to one month’s basic salary for all employees.
Health coverage has also been placed at the centre of the demands. The union argues that the current medical scheme has remained unchanged for more than a decade despite rising treatment costs.
It is now seeking higher inpatient limits of up to Sh4 million for Category B staff and Sh3 million for Category C employees, alongside expanded mental health support including counselling, rehabilitation, and employee assistance programmes. It also proposes wellness programmes such as gym access and social club membership.
“The cost of medication and hospitalisation has increased greatly and the benefit has remained static for over 10 years since it was approved. We therefore propose that the employer review the benefit to be commensurate to the prevailing costs for health, dental, and optical insurance cover for employees and their eligible dependents as follows,” read the proposal.
Beyond this, the union wants a structured annual salary increment system tied to job levels, as well as a cost of living adjustment linked to the Consumer Price Index to ensure pay keeps pace with inflation.
On retirement benefits, KICOWU proposes retention of current pension contribution rates while introducing gratuity payments for employees serving probationary periods.
The union represents staff across 19 constitutional commissions and independent offices, including the National Lands Commission, Teachers Service Commission, Judicial Service Commission, Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, and Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, as well as the offices of the Auditor-General, Director of Public Prosecutions, and Controller of Budget.
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