During a church service in Mathira Constituency on Sunday, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua confirmed reports that the government is facing challenges in paying salaries of civil servants, adding that the financial difficulties in the country have also affected counties.
He blamed the government’s financial problems on the handshake government, which he claimed had borrowed money excessively, forcing the current administration to pay off those debts.
Gachagua defended President William Ruto’s government, saying that it inherited a dilapidated economy with empty coffers due to the money stolen during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s regime.
However, he acknowledged that the current administration must pay off the debts, even though they did not incur them. Gachagua explained that some of the government loans had matured last week, forcing it to pay off the debt, and the money collected in the last two weeks was sufficient to pay the loans.
He reassured the public that the money collected this week would be used to pay salaries and other requirements.
Meanwhile, civil servants, including members of parliament, have not received their March salaries due to the country’s huge debt, as confirmed by David Ndii, Chairperson of President William Ruto’s Council of Economic Advisors.
He suggested that retrenching staff could be among the government’s options to address the situation.
