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The Murang’a County Government has announced a temporary suspension of new recruitment to comply with a High Court ruling that caps county personnel costs at 35 percent of total budgets.
In a statement citing a petition by Eliud Matindi against the State Law Office and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, the county said the freeze is intended to ensure fiscal discipline while safeguarding existing jobs.
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“To maintain fiscal responsibility, the County will implement a temporary hiring freeze,” the notice read.
The county confirmed that the High Court directed all counties to align their wage bills with the statutory 35 percent ceiling over a three-year compliance period. Murang’a reassured current employees that their positions are secure despite the new hiring pause.
The freeze is part of a broader effort to control the wage bill while alternative revenue measures are rolled out. Officials emphasized that compliance will not involve new taxes. Instead, the county will focus on automating revenue systems, improving efficiency in collection, and plugging leakages to increase internally generated revenue.
In addition, the county said it would rationalize advertised positions. Ongoing interviews and vacancies will now be limited to staffing already built public facilities that remain non-operational due to lack of personnel. Prioritized facilities include Mabae Dispensary (Gatanga), Kandara Hospital (New Ward), Kigumo Karinga Dispensary, Kangangu Dispensary (Kenol), Maragwa, Gitui Dispensary (Kiharu), Ngoeini Dispensary (Kangema), and Nyakianga Hospital (Mathioya).
Murang’a stressed that operationalizing these facilities is critical to avoid wastage of public funds and to ensure taxpayer investments benefit residents. The county described the measures as a responsible adjustment designed to safeguard public finances while maintaining essential services.
Judge Lawrence Mugambi, in a ruling on January 30, 2026, noted that the national and county governments violated the Constitution by implementing salary increases without adhering to the legally mandated 35 percent wage-bill-to-revenue ratio.
