By Robert Mutasi 
Uasin Gishu County has emerged among only five counties that complied with the recommended wage-bill threshold, even as the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) suspended revised remuneration structures for county officials.
The SRC said 42 of Kenya’s 47 counties had exceeded the 35 per cent wage-bill-to-revenue benchmark, raising concerns over the affordability and sustainability of county wage bills.
Data for the nine months to June 2026 showed that counties spent Sh171.36 billion on personnel emoluments against total revenue of Sh386.59 billion. This pushed the average county wage-bill-to-revenue ratio to 44.12 per cent.
Uasin Gishu recorded a wage-bill-to-revenue ratio of 31 per cent, placing it among the counties that remained below the 35 per cent benchmark.
The other counties within the threshold were Tana River at 27 per cent, Kwale and Nakuru at 30 per cent each, and Kirinyaga at 32 per cent.
The development comes as the SRC suspends implementation of revised remuneration and benefits structures for selected county officials under the Fourth Remuneration and Benefits Review Cycle covering the 2025/26 to 2028/29 financial years.
The affected positions include State officers serving in county executives, members of County Public Service Boards, County Secretaries and County Attorneys.
The commission cited concerns over affordability and sustainability as it halted implementation of the revised structures.
The decision follows growing pressure on county governments to contain personnel costs and ensure more resources are available for development and service delivery.
The 35 per cent threshold is provided under Kenya’s public finance management framework, which requires county governments to keep personnel emoluments within the prescribed proportion of their revenue.
SRC has previously said controlling the public sector wage bill is necessary to free resources for development priorities and improve the sustainability of government services. The commission’s broader target is for both levels of government to achieve a wage-bill-to-revenue ratio of 35 per cent by June 2028.
The latest figures put Uasin Gishu in a different position from counties with significantly higher wage-bill pressures.
Homa Bay and Taita-Taveta recorded the highest ratios at 63 per cent each, while Machakos stood at 58 per cent. Homa Bay spent about Sh4.55 billion on staff compensation against revenue of Sh7.26 billion, while Taita-Taveta spent approximately Sh3.19 billion against revenue of Sh5.55 billion.
The SRC suspension does not amount to an automatic reduction of salaries for existing county employees. However, the commission’s decision could affect the implementation of new remuneration structures, recruitment and promotions depending on the financial position of individual counties.
Further consultations involving the SRC, Council of Governors, Commission on Revenue Allocation and National Treasury are expected to determine the next course of action on the revised remuneration structures.
For Uasin Gishu, remaining below the national benchmark provides the county with a comparatively lower personnel-cost ratio as county governments continue to face pressure to balance employee compensation with development and service delivery needs.