Rigathi Gachagua, Kenya’s former Deputy President, delivered a scathing Labour Day message on Thursday, vowing to restore dignity to the country’s overburdened workforce.
In a statement shared with the public, Mr Gachagua said the reality facing many Kenyan workers today is “unspeakable pain, anguish, and utter frustration.” He blamed the country’s economic hardships on what he described as reckless government spending and a growing tax burden that has left payslips “raided for uncouth cause.”
“No Kenyan worker is happy today,” Mr Gachagua said. “To wish them a happy Labour Day without change is to add insult to injury.”
The message landed amid rising discontent over the cost of living and increased statutory deductions, which many workers say have eaten into their take-home pay. While government officials defend these deductions — citing social protection and national development — the pushback has been growing louder from politicians, civil society, and unions alike.
Earlier this year, the government doubled monthly contributions to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) for workers earning above KSh36,000 — from KSh2,160 to KSh4,320 — a move that drew widespread criticism.
Mr Gachagua, who has repeatedly spoken out against what he calls the “financial suffocation” of ordinary Kenyans, accused the current administration of wasting public resources and silencing dissent through inducements.
“The powers that be trot the globe using public money while back home, taxpayers’ funds are used to bribe leaders and the public to attend gatherings,” he said, without naming individuals.
Still, Gachagua struck a hopeful tone in his closing remarks, promising change.
“This situation is not permanent,” he said. “We are a team of patriotic men and women working day and night to end this misery. We shall restore the dignity of the payslip.”
His remarks align with an increasingly vocal chorus of leaders calling for tax relief and structural reform. While critics accuse him of politicking, his comments reflect a growing national mood — one shaped by economic fatigue, shrinking salaries, and deepening public scepticism about where their money goes.
Whether the opposition — or Mr Gachagua himself — can offer a viable alternative remains to be seen. But on this Labour Day, his message was clear: the Kenyan worker, he says, deserves better.
