Rates -Civil servants who have been paying as low as sh 30,000 monthly in rent for three-bedroomed houses located in prime locations will dig deeper into their pockets if the Treasury approves proposals to triple the amount.
Housing Principal Secretary Charles Hinga told Parliament that he has written to the Treasury seeking approval to review the rent for the 56,892 civil servants’ houses that has remained unchanged for the past 23 years.
The review will also see rent payable for low cadre civil servants increased upwards from the current Sh1,000 per month.
“Rent for civil servants averages Sh2,200 but there are those who pay as low as Sh1,000 a month for a single room in Mbotela Estate on Jogoo Road to the super scale public servants who pay as high as Sh30,000 per month for a three bedroomed along State House,” Mr Hinga said.
“Super scale public servants living in upmarket areas like State House should pay between Sh90,000 to Sh100,000 per month,” he said when he appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to respond to audit queries for the Housing department for the year 2021/22.
Mr Hinga told the committee chaired by nominated MP John Mbadi that the ministry had not maximised collection of rent from the 56,892 units with an expected monthly rental income of Sh127,048,750.
Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu had raised the red flag over the department’s failure to collect a potential annual rent of Sh1.524 billion assuming full occupancy of the 56,892 houses.
