NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 9 — Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has acknowledged that the government is facing challenges paying salaries owing to fast-maturing debt obligations.
Gachagua who spoke Sunday during a church service at PCEA Ngorano Center Church at Ruguru Ward in Nyeri’s Mathira Constituency attributed the delay in civil servants’ salaries to maturity of debts whose payment the government prioritized.
He said that the government chose to first settle the loans insisting the State could not negate on debts incurred during the former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration.
“It is true we are having challenges in paying salaries and giving money to governors, because the handshake government ruined this economy. They borrowed money left, right and center,” Gachagua said.
“Because we are a responsible government, we have to pay this money.”
He however could not specify the cadre of workers who were yet to get their salaries even as it emerged some State officers and civil servants had finally received their pay.
House Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah had earlier confirmed that lawmakers in the bicameral Parliament had their salaries delayed for about a week and that they received their pay on April 5 and 6.
He dismissed assertions by his minority counterpart Opiyo Wandayi that salaries were still outanding.
Maturing loans
Gachagua said when salaries were due in March “some loans had matured and they (loans) had to be paid because we have obligations.”
He added that whatever the government had collected over a period of two weeks was only enough to pay the loans.
Gachagua however expressed optimism that those who are yet to be paid will receive their salaries from monies raised in subsequent collections.
While defending President William Ruto over the current state of the economy, Gachagua said that despite taking over the country in a “dilapidated state”, the Head of State was doing his best to revive the economy.
“We found an empty country with nothing, everything had ben spent and stolen, and I want you to pray for president William Ruto for God to give him wisdom as he rebuilds this country,” Gachagua said.
He added that despite not being responsible for the state borrowing at the time they took office, Ruto’s administration is obligated to settle the debts.
“We are in a difficult situation, we are not the ones who borrowed that money but we have to pay because this money is owned by Kenya, William Ruto is the President of Kenya and he cannot run away from those debts,” the DP added.
Gachagua took a swipe on Azimio leader Raila Odinga for calling anti-government protests over the cost of living yet he chose to remain silent when the cost of basic commodities skyrocketed under the watch of the Kenyatta administration, which he supported.
“Just how foolish does he (Odinga) think Kenyans are,” Gachagua stated.
—
Josphat Mwangi contributed to this article from Nyeri.
About The Author
