A Statista report has revealed that Kenyan President William Ruto has the highest salary among world leaders compared to his country’s economic capacity. According to the report, Ruto’s income is nearly 2,000 per cent of Kenya’s per capita GDP (based on purchasing power parity), which is only $6,300. This makes his pay not only disproportionate to Kenya’s economic output but also one of the most controversial, considering Kenya’s financial struggles. While heads of state from economic superpowers may report higher salaries, Ruto’s pay is significantly high given Kenya’s per capita GDP in 2023.
In June 2023, Kenya’s Salaries and Remuneration Commission increased Ruto’s monthly salary from $11,148 (KES 1,443,750) to $12,741 (KES 1,650,000). The commission justified the 14 per cent raise to attract skilled Kenyans to public service. However, this increase came at a time when nearly 33 per cent of Kenyans were living below the poverty line, and the country’s youth unemployment rate hovered around 13.5 per cent.
This report followed 2024’s nationwide anti-government protests, during which dissatisfied Kenyans demonstrated against the introduction of a controversial International Monetary Fund-backed finance bill that required tax hikes in a country riddled by foreign debt and a cost-of-living crisis.
Beyond the president’s salary, the financial burden of Kenya’s bloated public sector further compounds public frustration. Government officials and parliamentarians are among the highest-paid globally, with Kenyan MPs earning a salary of approximately $65,000 annually, 10 times the country’s per capita GDP. This has sparked long-standing criticism, as public funds are being directed toward elite privileges while basic services, such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure, remain underfunded.
Sources:
https://eastleighvoice.co.ke/national/87069/ruto-ranked-highest-paid-world-leader-by-gdp-ratio-report
https://www.kenyans.co.ke/news/105984-william-ruto-ranks-first-best-paid-world-leaders-capita-gdp
https://www.statista.com/chart/3350/pay-levels-of-world-leaders-in-perspective
https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2024-07-16-gen-z-revolt-now-turns-to-mps-hefty-salaries-allowances