Teachers, police among civil servants decrying new NSSF deductions

Three months after the Court of Appeal gave a green light for the implementation of revised rates under the NSSF Act of 2013, the effects are already felt by civil servants who have had to part with an extra Ksh.360 in deductions for the salaries earned in July.

In payslips seen by Citizen TV, members of the National Police Services remitted Ksh.360 to NSSF besides Ksh.3,020 that they have been paying towards their pension scheme

With the lifting of the conservatory orders of the finance act 2023, life is about to get harder for members of the disciplined forces.

“Gharama ya amisha ndio hiyo imepanda sana kila kitu imepanda tunafaa kusomesha watoto tuko na majukumu na tunataka kukaa kama wengine na hiyo mshahara ndio hiyo ianzidi kukatwa sasa tuanshangaa ata tutaenda wapi tunaomba serikali iangalie hiyo maneno,” one teacher said.

Teachers are also complaining about what they are terming as double taxation as the new NSSF deduction was effected in the July payslip.

This is beside the 7.5 per cent provident fund deduction which goes towards their retirement scheme.

“From this month henceforth we have a new mongrel that has been introduced to our payslips which is the NSSF deduction there was no consultation or provisions for any commensurate increase to cushion teachers from the huge loss of income witnessed in the last few years,” said Peter Oyombe, a teacher.

“We demand an increase in our pay and all the deductions must stop henceforth if not we shall hit the roads tuko na rubber shoes hapa tuatakimbia we will fight for our rights,” Doris Odhiambo, another teacher said.

According to Section 19 of the Employment Act of 2007, any deductions made by an employer should ensure that an employee takes home not less than a third of his salary.

The NSSF act now provides for a monthly contribution equivalent to 12 per cent of one’s monthly salary, where 6 per cent is deducted from the employee’s salary while the other 6 per cent is paid by the employer.