Retirees ask for pension increment

 

By Robert Kiplagat

Retired civil servants want an increment in their pension citing the high cost of living.

The retirees through the Kenya Alliance of Retired Officers (Karo) said the Government has neglected them in terms of better pension and medical services.

They said they have been subjected to poverty despite having served the country for many years.

Addressing the retired officers during an AGM at Kabarnet, Karo officials led by its executive officer Peter Gichohi and assistant coordinator Jeremiah Munyi said the pension should be increased from the current Sh3,000 per month to Sh15,000.

Among the demands made by the retirees include free healthcare fund to enable them access quality services. “We have been ignored by the Government and the current pension of Sh3,000 a month is an insult due to the current high cost of living,” said Gichohi.

He said Karo wrote a memo to Finance Minister Njeru Githae demanding the increment among other grievances, but has received no response.

The officials also said the new Constitution did not consider retired officers, saying that pension policy should be implemented to cater for them. They also argued that the current five-year pension for spouses of deceased pensioners should be extended.

They also called for international humanitarian agencies such as United Nations to set a global day of retirees so that it can compare how different countries treat their senior citizens.

They also suggested that the pension policy be reviewed to enable husbands benefit from the pension of their deceased wives while threatening to hold demonstrations to compel the State to heed to their demands.