The Kenyan taxpayer is set to cough more than 2.3 billion to sustain the 50 Chief Administrative Secretaries (CAS) nominated by President William Ruto on Thursday.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) has classified a CAS under CSG 3, equivalent to job Group V, entitling them, if approved by Parliament, to a Sh765,188 monthly salary each.

Using the PSC set pay as a guideline, the 50 CASs will take home a total of Sh38.3 million each month, which translates to a whopping Sh459,112,800 per year in salaries alone.

Hence, by the time President Ruto’s Constitutional term that runs from 2022 to 2027 ends, the CASs will have taken the public coffers back Sh2,295,564,000 for the full five years.

Each CAS will also get a one-off mortgage payment of Sh35 million and a car grant of Sh10 million, bringing the additional costs to 2.25 billion, if they serve their full five-year terms.

Read More

  1. Ruto unveils Taifa Care under SHA to advance UHC, to settle hospital debts
  2. All macroeconomic indicators point to a positive turnaround - President Ruto
  3. Ruto cancels Adani's Sh334 billion JKIA and KETRACO deals over US indictments

The already overburdened Kenyan taxpayer will also fund the running of the offices occupied by the CASs, including the costs of refurbishing, staffing and renting new spaces.

The 50 new government officials, who rank above Principal Secretaries but below Cabinet Secretaries, will get further Sh10 million inpatient and Sh3 million outpatient medical cover.

The plum job will also see each CAS get two luxury vehicles, a driver, a personal assistant, two secretaries, and more than one guard securing them and their Nairobi and rural homes.

Each CAS is further entitled to a host of allowances while on duty including travelling, communication and entertainment allowances added to the cost of running their offices.


Former president Uhuru Kenyatta, who established the new offices, picked 29 CASs, while his successor Ruto has settled on 50, with most ministries having a total of three CASs each.

The nominations and impending appointment of the CASs by Ruto comes at a time Kenyans are grappling with a high cost of living, food insecurity, drought and weakening shilling.


It also comes months after he, during campaigns, accused his predecessor and his Azimio la Umoja leader Raila of seeking to amend the constitution to create positions for themselves and their cronies and promised to give uplifting the lives of "hustlers" top priority as Head of State.

In his nomination list presented to the National Assembly for approval, President Ruto mostly rewarded his political cronies who lost their seats in the August 9, 2022 election.