Civil servants in Kenya's national government are starting 2026 with a pay rise backdated to July 1, 2025, after the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) approved new salaries and allowances for Phase I of the 2025-2029 remuneration review cycle. The changes also include a Salary Market Adjustment (SMA), which consolidates entertainment, domestic servant, and extraneous allowances into a single, streamlined adjustment.
The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) met on December 19, 2025, and approved adjustments to basic salaries and leave allowances for civil servants across all grades. According to a circular shared by Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli, the new salary structure references letters dated September 2, 2025, and December 11, 2025.
"Reference is made to your letters Ref. No. MPS&HCD.12 dated September 2, 2025, on the guidelines for negotiations on the 4 remuneration and benefits review cycle 2025-2029 and Ref. No. MPSP&DM/9/1 dated December 11, 2025, on the above subject," the circular sent to Public Service PS Jane Imbunya read in part.
The approved basic salary structure and leave allowance should be implemented from July 1, 2025, at a cost of Ksh 2,065,701,510 for the Financial Year 2025/2026. It covers grades from CSG1 to CSG17 and other designated job groups.
House allowances are divided into three clusters: Cluster 1 for Nairobi, Cluster 2 for major cities such as Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, and municipalities like Nyeri, Eldoret, Thika, Kisii, Malindi, and Kitale, and Cluster 3 for all other areas. Civil servants in Nairobi will benefit the most from the house allowance increase, while those in smaller towns and rural areas will receive lower rates, reflecting cost-of-living differences.
For example, civil servants in higher grades like CSG4 can expect a basic salary between Ksh 185,690 and Ksh 396,130, with house allowances up to Ksh 140,600 for Nairobi residents. Lower-grade employees, such as CSG15, will see salaries rise to a range of Ksh 21,120 to Ksh 26,250, with house allowances up to Ksh 4,500.
The SMA aims to align public service salaries with market realities, ensuring competitiveness and adherence to constitutional and statutory principles. It also consolidates previous fragmented allowances for easier administration. Leave allowances have been revised to compensate for accumulated leave and provide extra financial support during time off.
For unionisable staff, salary adjustments will be implemented through the Collective Bargaining Negotiations process, allowing representatives to participate. The SRC advised all relevant government ministries, departments, and agencies to implement the new salaries and allowances promptly, with retroactive payments from July 1, 2025, made without delay.
This pay rise marks the first phase of the fourth remuneration and benefits review cycle (2025-2029). The SRC plans to continue reviewing and adjusting salaries in subsequent phases to keep public service pay fair, competitive, and aligned with economic conditions.
