Days after his dismissal  as the Public Service Cabinet Secretary, Justin Bedan Muturi is set to walk away with a hefty package.

President William Ruto, in a remark on Monday this week,  dismissed concerns over Muturi’s fate, stating, “He will be fine. He has a good pension.”

But just how much will the former CS pocket?

Muturi has been in government since 2013, serving as the Speaker of the National Assembly for a decade. 

According to the Retirement Benefits Act, 2015, a retired Speaker, one who held the office of Speaker of the National Assembly or Senate and ceased to hold office as specified in the Constitution, is entitled to a pension and other lifetime benefits.

Since his retirement as Speaker, Muturi is entitled to a monthly pension equivalent to 80 percent of his last monthly salary while in office. 

Additionally, he is also entitled to a lump sum payment upon retirement, calculated as one year’s salary for each term served—in his case, two terms (ten years).

Beyond the monetary benefits, Muturi enjoys other privileges, including:
– One saloon vehicle (engine capacity not exceeding 2000cc) and one four-wheel drive vehicle (engine capacity not exceeding 3000cc), replaceable every four years.- A fuel allowance equivalent to 15 percent of the current Speaker’s monthly salary.

– Full medical and hospital cover for himself and his spouse, covering both local and overseas treatment through a reputable insurance company.

– Medical coverage for any dependent children under 18 or up to 25 if still in full-time education.

– Support staff, including two drivers, a personal assistant or chief liaison officer, a secretary or assistant liaison officer, a housekeeper, a senior support staff member, a gardener, and a cleaner.

– Two armed security guards upon request.

– Diplomatic passports for himself and his spouse.

– Maintenance expenses for government-provided vehicles.

– Access to the VIP lounge at all Kenyan airports.

– An office and office equipment, all catered for under the Retirement Benefits Act, 2015.

After his tenure as Speaker ended, Muturi was appointed Attorney General in the Kenya Kwanza administration, a position he held for 21 months before President Ruto dismissed his entire Cabinet following the Gen-Z protests last year. 

The benefits for Cabinet members differ, as Brown Kutswa, the Public Service Commission’s Director of Communication, explains.

“Muturi was a State Officer. That means, by the Constitution, he will automatically receive a gratuity for the period that he served. The process is pretty straightforward as that is his entitlement,” says Kutswa. 

Unlike pensioned officers, Cabinet Secretaries and the Attorney General do not receive a pension but instead get a gratuity upon the completion of their tenure.

According to Salary and Remuneration Commission (SRC) guidelines, a former Cabinet Secretary or Attorney General is entitled to a gratuity of 31 percent of their basic salary for each year served, subject to a tax of up to 30 percent.

For the first financial year (November 2022 – June 2023), the basic salary for Cabinet Secretaries was Sh554,400. 

This entitles Muturi to a gross gratuity of Sh1.37 million for this period, reduced to Sh962,438 after tax.

In the 2023/2024 financial year, the SRC gazetted a salary increase for Cabinet Secretaries, raising their basic salary to Sh574,200. Hence, this entitles Muturi to a gross gratuity of Sh2.14 million for this period, reduced to Sh1.5 million after tax.

A month after firing his entire Cabinet, Ruto reappointed Muturi as the Public Service CS in September 2024, a role he held for only eight months until his sacking. For this period, he will receive a gross gratuity of Sh1.42m, which will be reduced to Sh996,811 after tax.

In total, for his tenure in the Kenya Kwanza administration, Muturi will walk away with approximately Sh3.5 million after tax.

A golden farewell? While the former CS’s exit may have been abrupt but predictable, following the recent rift between him and the president, his financial cushion ensures he leaves government in comfort.