The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the National Assembly has urged the Public Service Commission (PSC) to create regulations preventing public servants from receiving net pay below the legal minimum. This came during a meeting with State House Comptroller Katoo Ole Metito while reviewing Auditor-General reports. The 2023/2024 audit revealed 78 State House staff earning below the one-third threshold due to excessive deductions.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) addressed the issue during its Thursday, April 2, 2026, meeting while examining Auditor-General’s reports for the financial years ending June 30, 2024, and 2025.
Committee Chairperson Tindi Mwale, MP for Butere, stated: “We are concerned that this matter keeps recurring. It’s not only in State House but other state agencies and arms of government. We urge the Public Service Commission to come up with policy and regulations to end this problem once and for all.”
Excessive deductions stem from loan repayments, salary advances, check-off systems, and court-ordered recoveries. The one-third rule under Section 19(3) of the Employment Act, 2007, caps total deductions at two-thirds of basic salary.
For example, on a Ksh 30,000 basic salary, deductions cannot exceed Ksh 20,000, leaving at least Ksh 10,000 as net pay.
State House Comptroller Katoo Ole Metito reported that management actions reduced affected staff from 78 to 14 by last month's end, with only four expected by month-end. PAC insists on PSC regulatory measures for public service-wide compliance.
