The Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) has turned to the courts in a bid to push the Public Service Commission (PSC) to improve terms of service for engineers working in government.
In a statement on Thursday, IEK President Eng. Shammah Kiteme said the decision follows years of negotiations with PSC that yielded little progress.
The case now seeks judicial intervention to address what the engineers describe as long-standing injustices in their employment terms.
Among the demands in the petition is the upgrading of the entry-level grade for engineers from Civil Service Grade (CSG) 10 to CSG 9, which they argue would better reflect the training, responsibility, and contribution of engineers to national development.
The institution is also requesting for the inclusion of risk and non-practising allowances, pointing out that such benefits are already extended to other professionals like lawyers and doctors in the civil service.
According to IEK, the petition is the result of a long consultation process that began in December 2022 when it opened dialogue with PSC.
A formal proposal was submitted in March 2023, backed by studies comparing engineers’ employment terms to those of other professionals.
The findings revealed glaring disparities that the engineers say continue to demotivate them.
In September 2023, IEK held a retreat in Mombasa with representatives from the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK), the Kenya Engineering Technology Registration Board (KETRB), and the Institution of Engineering Technologists (IET). PSC officials also attended.
More meetings followed in May 2024 and May 2025, but according to IEK, no action was taken. Instead, PSC issued a circular in July 2025 granting lawyers in the civil service a non-practising allowance further fueling engineers’ frustrations.
Faced with what it terms PSC’s reluctance to act, IEK resolved to escalate the matter to court.
“It is our hope that the courts will grant the petition and allow engineers to enjoy fair and just employment terms, just like other professionals,” said Eng. Kiteme.
He added that IEK will continue advocating for the rights and welfare of engineers in the country, vowing to pursue every available legal avenue until the disparities are addressed.
The case is now before the judiciary, with engineers across the country closely watching the outcome.