Teachers and civil servants are set to lose Sh6 billion in hardship allowances following a review of areas designated as hardship zones.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi stated, “It has been observed that the criteria for identifying hardship areas are inconsistent. For example, the civil service relies on previous district boundaries, while the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) categorizes based on educational zones.”
As a result of this review, thousands of teachers and civil servants will see a reduction in their hardship allowances. The government has approved a long-awaited assessment of regions classified as hardship areas, which will lead to cuts in these allowances.
Mudavadi informed the National Assembly that the adjustments will enable the government to save Sh6 billion annually. “I would like to inform the House that implementing the Inter-Agency Technical Committee report will decrease the financial burden of hardship allowances from Sh25 billion to Sh19 billion per year, resulting in a Sh6 billion saving for the government,” he stated.
The report, completed in 2019, has been delayed for years and evaluates the criteria for identifying hardship areas and the distribution of allowances to government employees across various sectors.
Mudavadi noted that the committee conducted extensive consultations and discovered that some regions previously classified as hardship no longer meet the criteria.
The review indicated that several areas categorized as hardship have undergone significant social and economic development since the 2013 transition to a devolved governance system, leading to improvements in access to water, healthcare, transportation, and education services.
The findings have been submitted to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, which is expected to establish new rates. The updated list has also been forwarded to the Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service to initiate the gazettement process.
Additionally, the report highlighted that not all public servants in hardship areas receive the allowance, as some are excluded due to ambiguous policy guidelines. In certain instances, only specific regions within a county or sub-county qualify, leaving others in the same locality without support.
Mudavadi remarked, “It has been noted that the criteria for identifying hardship areas are inconsistent. The civil service, for instance, utilizes former district boundaries, while the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) employs educational zones for classification.”
Currently, the classification of hardship areas differs across the public sector. The civil service, county governments, and parastatals recognize 16 hardship areas, while the TSC identifies 44 and the Judiciary lists 21. This lack of a cohesive approach has led to confusion and grievances.
Members of Parliament have raised concerns in Parliament, with many deeming the existing classifications as unjust.
Nyando MP Jared Okelo asked a question on the issue last month, prompting calls for a proper review to reflect current realities.
Hardship allowances were introduced in 1969 to support officers working in remote and underdeveloped areas. These are regions that lack basic services like food, water, transport, communication, and health.
Mudavadi said the aim is to apply one clear policy across all arms of the public service, so the allowance can be shared fairly based on clear and current standards.
“The proposed harmonisation of the designated hardship areas in the public service” will guide this process, he said.
The move is expected to affect workers who have long relied on the hardship allowance, as some may lose the benefit once the revised regions are made public.