Zanzibar increases salaries of public servants by up to 19 percent
President of Zanzibar, Dr Hussein Mwinyi speaking during past event in the Isles. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- Mwinyi says his government will spend Sh12.7 billion each month in the 2022/23 financial year to cater for salary increases
Unguja. The Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar is increasing the minimum wage of public servants by between 15.6 and 19 percent, President Hussein Mwinyi said yesterday.
Addressing workers at Maisara grounds yesterday, Dr Mwinyi said the government will spend Sh12.7 billion each month in the 2022/23 financial year to cater for salary increases.
In his address, which marked the commemoration of this year’s International Workers’ Day celebrations in the Isles, Dr Mwinyi said the increase means that the minimum wage for a public servant who was employed in 2019 will rise from Sh300,000 to Sh347,000 per month in the coming financial year.
The International Workers’ Day celebrations - which is usually marked on May 1 - was delayed in Zanzibar as the government sought to give public servants a chance to celebrate the Eid al-Fitr holiday.
“In the same vein, a public servant who holds a certificate in any course in arts and who was employed in 2019, will have his salary rise from Sh321,000 to Sh382,000, representing an increase of 19 percent,” said Dr Mwinyi.
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The president insisted that salaries will be increased in accordance with one’s education and experience. In an effort to ensure that workers in Zanzibar are able to earn money even when they lose their jobs or get an accident while working, the government, through the Zanzibar Social Security Fund (ZSSF) has established an unemployment benefit and one for compensation for injuries incurred at work. He said the government will also introduce a health insurance fund in the coming financial year which will start with public servants.
Dr Mwinyi’s administration has paid Sh1.8 billion in public servants’ arrears and another Sh4.9 billion to suppliers and contractors.
The government in the Isles will employ a total of 5,639 new employees in health, education and other sectors during the coming financial year and that a total of Sh24.6 billion will be set aside in meeting the costs associated with the new jobs.
