KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah during a past event. /COURTESYDoctors have protested the Salaries and Remuneration Commission’s decision to suspend revised remuneration and benefits structures for officers in county governments.
Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) secretary general Davji Atellah said the decision has been applied selectively to devolved workers.
“We cannot have one National Treasury and one public wage bill, yet apply fiscal responsibility selectively when it comes to devolved workers,” Atellah said.
The SRC suspended the implementation of the reviewed remuneration and benefits structures with immediate effect in a letter dated September 11, 2026.
The commission said the decision followed deliberations a day earlier on the submissions by the Council of Governors (CoG).
SRC said it observed that the majority of county governments currently have a wage-bill-to-ordinary-revenue-ratio exceeriing 35 per cent.
"The commission was therefore of the view that implementation of the remuneration and benefits structures, in the prevailing fiscal circumstances, would have significant implications for the affordability and fiscal sustainability of the public wage bill at the county level," SRC said in a letter addressed to the Council of Governors.
It cited Article 201 of the constitution and provisions of the Public Finance Management Act requiring prudent and responsible use of public resources and fiscal responsibility in public finance management.
SRC consequently determined that implementing the reviewed remuneration and benefits structures under the prevailing fiscal circumstances would be unsustainabile.
"Consequently, having considered the submissions by the Council of Governors and guided by the principles of affordability, fiscal sustainability and prudent management of public resources, the Commission resolved to suspend, with immediate effect, the implementation of the remuneration and benefits structures for county governments."
The suspension affects three remuneration structures previously communicated by the commission.
These are the remuneration and benefits structure for State officers in county executives, communicated through a July 30, 2026 letter; the structure for members of county public service boards, communicated through a July 21 letter; and the structure for county secretaries and county attorneys, also communicated on July 30.
SRC said the suspension would allow further engagements between the commission, the Council of Governors, the Commission on Revenue Allocation and the National Treasury.
The decision has, however, drawn criticism from KMPDU, which represents doctors and other medical professionals working in the public sector.
Atellah said county health workers and other county employees were public servants who deserved “fair, predictable and equitable remuneration”.
“Devolution cannot mean devolving responsibilities while withholding the resources and conditions necessary for workers to deliver essential services,” he said.
He called for concerns over affordability and fiscal sustainability to be addressed through transparent and comprehensive dialogue involving SRC, the CoG, the National Treasury, the CRA and affected workers.
“We will not sit back as county workers are asked to carry the burden of fiscal pressures alone,” Atellah said.
He called for the immediate reversal of the suspension and meaningful engagement with workers and their representatives before further action is taken.
“The wage bill is a national responsibility. The dignity of workers is non-negotiable,” Atellah said.
The dispute comes against the backdrop of continued efforts by national and county governments to contain public expenditure while meeting their obligations to public servants.
SRC's latest decision does not permanently cancel the reviewed structures but suspends their implementation pending further consultations with the agencies involved.
Atellah said KMPDU would continue to press for the interests of county workers.
