Nairobi Kenya — Salaries and Remunerations Commission (SRC) chairperson Lyn Mengich has blamed duplication of roles in the government for the country's high wage bill.

Speaking on Tuesday in an interview with Spice FM, Mengich agreed that there is a need to address the overlap of roles in government and state corporations to reduce Kenya's wage bill.

"One of the conversations in the wage bill conference that will be held from April 15 to 17 at the Bomas of Kenya is to frankly discuss this duplication and overlaps of roles and mandates which we see in some ministries and state corporations," she said.

"Yes, looking at these duplications of roles will significantly contribute in managing the wage bill whether that means some state corporations are to be merged or what happens there has to be that conversation."

She assured the state's commitment to looking into the issue of duplication of roles and responsibilities in both national and county governments and some state corporations.

Mengich maintained that the privatization of state corporations was also key to the reduction of the wage bill.

On March 21, 2024, the SRC underscored the necessity for collaborative efforts between the national government and devolved units to address the rising wage bill while bolstering accountability and efficient utilization of public resources.

The chair highlighted the concerning growth of Kenya's public wage bill amidst revenue and financial constraints, noting its significant portion within the national budget, consequently straining development and investment allocations.

She emphasized the imperative of a multi-sectorial, multidisciplinary approach to wage bill management, stressing the importance of a holistic governmental strategy.

According to SRC data, the wage bill to ordinary revenue ratio decreased from 54.77 percent in the 2020/2021 financial year to 47.06 percent in FY 2021/2022, with projections indicating a further decline to 43.54 percent in FY 2022/2023 and 40.45 percent in FY 2023/2024.