A group of retired civil servants has formally petitioned Parliament to overhaul Kenya’s pension system, calling for the consolidation of existing schemes, higher monthly payouts, and stronger protection against inflation.
The petition, presented to the National Assembly by Speaker Moses Wetang’ula on behalf of the Kenya National Association of Public Service Pensioners (KNAPSP), argues that the current fragmented structure is inequitable. Many retirees, the petitioners say, are struggling to meet rising living costs and face unequal treatment compared to newer public servants who benefit from a modern contributory framework.
Specifically, the retirees want all non-contributory civil service pension schemes merged into a single system to improve fairness, efficiency, and management of retirement benefits. They also ask the National Treasury, in collaboration with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), to carry out an actuarial study on pension payments and recommend inflation-linked adjustments.
Speaking in Parliament, Speaker Wetang’ula summarized the petitioners’ concerns: “They argue that while new entrants benefit from the modern contributory framework, existing retirees remain tethered to an obsolete system characterised by inadequate and irregular payments.”
The petition is led by John Serem, Eng Richard Bett, and Olive Chepkoech. They point specifically to the Public Service Superannuation Scheme Act of 2012, which shifted from a non-contributory to a contributory system effective January 1, 2021. According to the petitioners, this created a “dual pension system” where older retirees are left with low and irregular payments while newer workers enjoy better terms. They describe this as discrimination against those who served the same government.
Additional concerns raised in the petition include:
Difficulties faced by dependents in accessing benefits after a pensioner’s death, due to lengthy bureaucratic procedures.
Partial implementation of the SRC’s 2014 recommendation that pensions be reviewed every three years.
The requirement that retiring officers commute a quarter of their pension into a lump-sum payment, which reduces their monthly income.
Several MPs who debated the petition voiced support. Emuhaya MP Omboko Milemba acknowledged the problems of inflation, delayed payments, and challenges for dependents, noting that the Pensions Department’s budget consumption was only about 39 percent, yet many teachers and civil servants remain unpaid. However, he cautioned that merging the old scheme with the Public Service Superannuation Fund is complex due to age-related timelines for joining the contributory scheme.
Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba called pension matters a national priority and backed proposals to exempt pensioners from income tax. “We are considering how we are going to make sure that pensioners are no longer going to pay income tax on their income,” she told the House. “It is in the interest of this House to make sure that all pensioners are treated fairly and whatever they are paid is their money without further deductions.”
The petition has now been referred to the Petitions Committee for further consideration.
