Kenya’s President William Ruto has stated that the country will not take out loans to pay civil servants, despite unions threatening to strike over unpaid March salaries.
President Ruto blamed the salary delays on the country’s massive public debt, some of which is due to mature this month.
He stated that the salaries would be paid from revenue authority taxes.
At least two workers’ umbrella organizations have issued notices to lay off this week if their dues are not paid.
In an interview with local media on Monday, the president’s chief economic adviser said that salaries would be paid by the end of the month, but that the government should reduce the waste of public funds.
Kenya’s public debt now accounts for 65 percent of national revenue.
The country requires more than $420 million (£338 million) per month to pay civil servant salaries and pensions.
This comes just weeks after the World Bank and the IMF both warned that Sub-Saharan Africa was entering a new debt crisis, with many countries at high risk of default.
