Do You Know the New per Diem Rates Set by The SRC for Public Servants?

Did you know that the raise of Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) rates for teachers and other government employees based on local and international travel came from quite a sad and embarrassing story? Well, well, we all know that not long ago, the Teachers Service Commission made plans for conducting promotion interviews for teachers to various job groups. What we might not have known is that the panellists put in charge did not receive any DSA disbursements for the same to perform their duties efficiently. This is ignoring the fact that these officers had been deployed in areas that are far away from their official stations.

How TSC washed its dirty linen in public

As a result, these officers became frustrated to the extent that they could not meet basic needs such as food, transport, accommodation, and other living expenses. This exposed them to financial embarrassments before their junior interviewees. The tales that flourished are on how TSC officers lived in bedbug-infested areas while some sought for accommodation in teacher’s quarters. Mind you these are the same teachers they were interviewing. That, of course, compromised the whole exercise.

Anyway, that is now behind us as the Salaries and Remuneration Commission finally agreed to increase the DSA allowance not only for teachers but all public servants. The rates are defined depending on one’s job group, state officer grades, cities (Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa) (CLUSTER ONE), county headquarters (Malindi, Kilifi, Lamu, Kwale, and Naivasha) (CLUSTER TWO) and lastly on all other towns (CLUSTER THREE).

Should we expect more taxation duties?

Despite that unfortunate event above, there have always been disputes regarding these allowances. Might this move restore harmony and bring equity and fairness in the Public Service? The reviewed clusters for purposes of payment of Daily Subsistence Allowance (Local travel) shall, therefore, be paid at the rates shown below:

Table 1 Shows Summary of per Diem rates for different locations.

Well, we are pleased about the change of events in the public service, but the major worry is where all this revenue will come from. Will there be increased taxation duties to satisfy this? Well, we are about to find out as a country.