Kenyan President Dr. William Ruto’s salary ranks among the highest in the world relative to Kenya’s economic capacity, sparking debate on compensation and economic priorities in Kenya.
The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) of Kenya conducted a review in June 2023, increasing the president’s monthly gross retainer from Ksh1,443,750 to Ksh1,650,000, further cementing his status among the world’s best-paid leaders on a relative scale.
Kenya’s GDP per capita is lower than that of many Western nations, making Ruto’s earnings among the most substantial globally relative to national wealth. This phenomenon is not unique to Kenya, as leaders of developing nations often receive salaries that are proportionally high compared to their nation’s per capita income.
However, in Kenya, the contrast is particularly stark, with many Kenyans living below the poverty line, with the average salary being significantly lower than the president’s.
The SRC’s decision to revise state officers’ salaries, including that of the president, was based on an assessment of economic demands, inflationary pressures, and the need to maintain competitive pay for public officers.
President Ruto’s Ksh1,650,000 monthly retainer includes various allowances, and the role’s compensation package is among the most debated elements in public expenditure.
Last year, Kenya’s GDP per person was Ksh811,615, making Ruto’s Ksh19,800,000 yearly income about 2,000 times his nation’s per capita GDP (1993%). As a result, President Ruto is in a class by himself, ranking first in terms of the highest salaries as a percentage of 2023 GDP per capita.
