Nairobi, April 17 -- For every Sh1,000 earned by more than 960,000 public sector workers in the year ended June 2023, they made Sh400 in allowances.

This is the highlight of the growing burden of allowances in the public wage bill, with data showing that public sector workers consumed Sh1.25 trillion in allowances in three years to June 2023.

Between July 2020 and June 2023, the workers, who increased from 923,000 to 960,000 in national and county governments, earned an average of Sh416 billion in allowances every year.

Constituting the Sh1.25 trillion allowances over the three fiscal years to June 2023 are house and commuter allowances of Sh600 billion, Sh200 billion for hardship and annual leave, Sh125 billion (travel) and Sh324 bill...