Big win for vets as state agencies back pay review
Kenyan veterinary officers are seeking a salary review to align their compensation with medical doctors, citing similar training and occupational risks. Government agencies have acknowledged the need for a formal job evaluation, though they stopped short of promising immediate pay parity.
Why it matters
This reflects ongoing labor disputes regarding the valuation of specialized public service roles in the healthcare and veterinary sectors.
Kenya Wildlife Service veterinary services
Veterinary officers have received a major boost after key government agencies backed calls for a review of their salaries and allowances to narrow the earnings gap with medical doctors.
This followed a petition by the Kenya Veterinary Association (KVA) to Parliament seeking harmonisation of their pay to match that of medical doctors.
The petition gained traction on Thursday after the Public Service Commission (PSC), Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) and two state departments acknowledged the need for a fresh assessment of veterinarians’ remuneration.
Appearing before the National Assembly Labour Committee, the agencies supported an evidence-based review of job grades and allowances, although they stopped short of endorsing automatic pay parity with medical doctors.
PSC chief executive Paul Famba said veterinary doctors were critical health professionals whose contributions should not be considered inferior to those of their counterparts treating human patients.
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