Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has urged the government to revise statutory deductions for salaried Kenyans to better align with current economic conditions.
Speaking at Labour Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi, Atwoli appealed to President William Ruto’s administration to amend the law so that statutory deductions are calculated based on basic salary rather than gross pay.
Atwoli emphasized that such a change would help safeguard workers’ financial stability, highlighting that many Kenyans face heavy taxation that impedes their economic progress.
“These taxes should not be on the gross salary; it should be on the basic, so that the gross pay is not interfered with. I know the President will look into that,” said Atwoli.He further argued that all deductions, including statutory ones, should be applied to basic pay, noting that despite their hard work, many workers are left with little after deductions.
Atwoli called on the President to address these concerns to improve the financial well-being of Kenyan workers.
