NAIROBI, Kenya, May 2 — Central Organization of Trade Union (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has clarified that the recently announced 12 per cent wage increase is a broad-based salary adjustment affecting workers across the economy, and not merely a revision of the statutory minimum wage.
His clarification comes a day after President William Ruto announced a 12 per cent increase in general wages and a 15 per cent rise in agricultural wages during Labour Day celebrations, a move the government says is intended to cushion workers from rising living costs.
Speaking on Saturday, Atwoli said there had been widespread misunderstanding among sections of the public and employer groups regarding the scope of the increment.
He emphasised that the 12 per cent adjustment applies across salary brackets, including to already employed professionals, and is not limited to low-income earners.
“I wish to clarify what I saw in the press yesterday. The 12 per cent wage increase was not a minimum wage increase. It was a general wage increase,” Atwoli said.
He explained that minimum wage adjustments typically target the lowest-paid workers, while a general wage increase is designed to uplift all employees across the wage structure.
According to Atwoli, the government has also separately implemented a 15 per cent increase for minimum wage earners, particularly casual and lower-income workers.
“Those on minimum wage had their salaries raised by 15 per cent. But overall, Kenyans, including those who were covered under that category and even those above it — you and me — are entitled to the 12 per cent wage increase,” he said.
Stagnant pay
Atwoli defended the decision, arguing that Kenya’s improving macroeconomic conditions and growth in key sectors have created room for a broader wage adjustment.
He noted that many workers have remained on stagnant pay for years despite gains in productivity and sectoral performance.
“There are people who have been on the same salary for 20, even 30 years. Companies have made money, and exports like tea and horticulture have done well. This economy is doing better, and that is why this adjustment has been made,” he said.
He added that the approach mirrors previous administrations where wage adjustments were implemented as economy-wide interventions rather than narrowly targeted revisions.
President Ruto, in his Labour Day address, framed the wage increase as part of efforts to strengthen household incomes and improve resilience amid inflationary pressures.
“I am pleased to announce a 12 per cent increase in general wages and a 15 per cent increase in agricultural wages to all Kenyan workers,” he said, describing the move as part of a broader economic transformation agenda.
The government has defended the policy, citing improved fiscal space and recovery in private sector activity, particularly in export-driven industries.
COTU-Kenya has in recent weeks intensified calls for higher wage adjustments, citing persistent increases in fuel, food, and transport costs.
Atwoli has consistently argued that stronger wage growth is necessary to protect workers’ purchasing power, warning that prolonged stagnation risks deepening inequality even during periods of economic expansion.
He maintained that the latest announcement should be interpreted as a structural correction in compensation policy rather than a symbolic intervention.
“This is not a minimum wage debate. It is a general wage correction. It is meant to ensure workers do not remain trapped in stagnant pay scales while the economy moves forward,” he said.
