Uasin Gishu Senator Prof. Margaret Kamar addressing the County Assembly in Eldoret on December 7, 2017. [Photo: Joe Khisa]
Devolved units across the country have been urged to consider asking some of their staffs to take a voluntary retirement as a way of ensuring a sustainable wage bill.
Uasin Gishu Senator Prof. Margaret Kamar has further urged County Public Service Boards to establish an optimal staffing structure that will help address a bloated workforce that has seen increased expenditure on personal reimbursement.
Addressing the press outside the Uasin Gishu County Assembly after giving her maiden address on Thursday, Prof. Kamar expressed concerns that Uasin Gishu county government was using about half of its funds on staff salaries.
"We need to look at ways that will ensure a sustainable wage bill and allow allocation of funds for development and one of them is voluntary retirement," said Prof. Kamar.
"Rationalization of structures by county government to ensure people employed match and compete to handle their job description is also another option," she added.
The senator however challenged county governments to look at ways that will increase revenue collection and see to it that there are sufficient funds for development projects.
"If we increase revenue nobody will be sacked as the 70 percent allocation of funds for development will be easily attained," Kamar said.