A section of Machakos residents have criticized the five percent minimum wage increment announced by the government during the 2018 Labor Day Celebrations at Uhuru Park in Nairobi on Tuesday.
A spot check conducted by this writer in Machakos County on Wednesday revealed that most residents were dissatisfied by the increment.
The locals said the five percent increment is little and of no significance to their wages.
"Oh no! the government thinks we will applaud the increment after the announcement. No, what it did is like a drop in the ocean and most of us don't see any difference," said spokesman John Kyende.
Kyende said the government should do more concerning minimum wage increase depending on high costs of living in the country.
"We are experiencing high costs of living and most workers are working from hand to mouth, they have nothing to save. The government should up its game as far as the increment is concerned," Kyende said.
However, the residents applauded NASA leader Raila Odinga for lifting ban on Safaricom and Bidco companies.
On Tuesday, the government announced a five per cent increment in the minimum wage to cushion workers against high inflation.
The increment was announced by the Minister for Labor and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary, Ukur Yattani, who read President Uhuru Kenyatta’s speech during the Labor Day Celebrations.
“In recognition of the good work done by our workers and cognizant of the 4.8 percent rate of inflation this year, I hereby declare a corresponding five percent increase on minimum wage,” Yattani announced on Kenyatta’s behalf.