- Labour officers have been deployed across the country to inspect workplaces and enforce compliance with the revised minimum wage.
- Employers found underpaying workers risk prosecution, financial penalties and other legal sanctions.
- The new wage structure implements President William Ruto’s Labour Day pledge to raise minimum wages.
The Kenyan government has intensified efforts to protect workers’ rights by launching a nationwide enforcement campaign targeting employers who have failed to implement the newly gazetted minimum wage.
Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Dr Alfred Mutua announced the crackdown while appearing before the Senate on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, saying labour officers had been directed to carry out extensive workplace inspections across the country.
“I will ensure that Kenyan workers are paid in line with the gazetted minimum wage. I have instructed my officers to move across the country and ensure every employer complies with the law,” Mutua told senators.
The Cabinet Secretary warned that the government would not tolerate the exploitation of workers through illegal wages and pledged strict enforcement of the revised wage regulations.
Employers risk prosecution
According to the Ministry of Labour, inspection teams will visit businesses, factories, farms, hotels, construction sites, institutions and other workplaces to verify compliance with the new wage orders.
Labour officers will examine payroll records, employment contracts and wage payments to determine whether employees are receiving the statutory minimum wages applicable to their occupations and locations.
Employers found violating the law could face prosecution, financial penalties and other sanctions provided for under Kenya’s labour legislation.
Dr Mutua explained that minimum wages differ across regions because of variations in the cost of living, with workers in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret entitled to higher minimum wages than those in municipalities, towns and rural areas.
“The wage structure considers the economic realities of different regions. The cost of living in Nairobi is not the same as in smaller towns or rural areas,” he said.
New wage structure now in force
The revised wage orders, published under the Regulation of Wages (General) (Amendment) Order, 2026 and the Regulation of Wages (Agricultural Industry) (Amendment) Order, 2026, introduced salary increases across various occupations.
The new regulations implement President William Ruto’s Labour Day pledge of a 12 per cent increase in the general minimum wage and a 15 per cent increase for workers in the agricultural sector.
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The Ministry of Labour has urged employers to review their payroll systems immediately, while encouraging workers to familiarise themselves with the new wage schedules and report employers who fail to comply.
By Hillary Muluhya
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