Senator Cherargei Seeks Mandatory Retirement for Civil Servants Over 60

Thousands of government workers could be rendered jobless if the government acts on demands from the Senate to sack all staff over the retirement age of 60 years.

The demands, largely from the United Democratic Alliance's Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, could force the government to act on what auditors have often called the 'ageing workforce'.

While speaking during the tabling of a report on the Progress Report of the Standing Committee on National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity and Regional Integration on an Inquiry into the Diversity and Inclusivity in the Staff Composition of State Agencies in Kenya, he said part of the biggest problem in government is employees surpassing the mandatory retirement age.

“How can our youth get jobs if people are 60 years old and don’t want to go home?” Cherargei asked.

“We must be told why a majority of employees of the Public Service Commission are older people, ” he continued.

In Kenya, the mandatory retirement age for government employees is 60 years old, with an extension to 65 years old for people with disabilities.

This has long been an issue highlighted by auditors, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission and PSC itself. In fact, one audit report from 2024 noted that officers aged 60 years and above represented 1.8 per cent of the 253,318 officers covered in a specific audit at that time.

As of a July 2024 report, approximately25,879employees across 520 agencies were aged between 56 and 60 years, meaning they are set to retire within the next three years.

Audits have found hundreds of individuals still in service past the age of 60 due to various reasons, such as specialised talent or administrative failures in enforcing policies.

Cherargei criticised ageing workers who cling to public offices, arguing that this trend worsens unemployment among the youth.

“Madam Speaker, I walk around, and I meet a 48-year-old P1 teacher who is yet to be employed.TSC must be called out,” he said.

Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows youth unemployment stands at about 67% among individuals aged 15 to 34.

The senators maintained that lowering the retirement age would open more spaces for young Kenyans seeking work.