Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta has raised the minimum wage for workers in his country by 18 percent.
The president made the announcement in the capital, Nairobi, during the country’s Labour Day celebrations.
“My government is concerned with the large number of Kenyans looking for jobs and those struggling to provide for their families, thus my government has offered 18 per cent increase in minimum wage,” he said on Monday.
The President also announced that workers earning a minimum salary of Ksh 13,475 (about $134) will no longer pay taxes.
President Uhuru also took note of the practice of Kenyans seeking foreign employment, saying they should do so carefully, through government approved recruitment agencies.
“We have streamlined the registration and management of foreign recruitment agencies and I urge all Kenyans to use approved agencies and ensure they register with the Kenyan embassy in the county they are in,” he said.
Uhuru will be seeking re-election for a second and final term in office, in the August elections where he will face long-time opposition leader Raila Odinga.
