Workers granted up to 15% wage increase. Agricultural workers were the greatest beneficiaries.
Yesterday, 1st May 2026, Kenya held its Labour Day celebrations in Vihiga County, within the former Western Province. The venue was Chavakali High School.
According to a COTU official, the celebration would have been held at Vihiga’s Kidundu stadium if its construction had been completed. Apparently, following a presidential directive, the Kenya Defense Forces will now take over the construction of that stadium.
Kidundu Stadium, with a capacity of 10,000 seats, is not fit for professional use. Muddy patches are particularly visible during the rainy season, yet its construction has stalled.
May Day Wage Increases
Yesterday, President William Ruto announced a general wage increase for Kenyan workers. And in the agricultural sector, which includes workers in tea plantations, employers must raise the minimum wages by 15%.
Other workers, such as messengers and cleaners, will benefit from the 12% general wage increase.
The Impact of the Wage Increase
Workers in Kenyan cities can therefore expect monthly wages of at least sh. 18,047.40. This includes domestic workers in Nairobi, Mombasa, and other cities. Currently, their minimum monthly wage is sh.16,113.75.
Meanwhile, their counterparts in towns and municipalities such as Nyeri, Machakos, Busia, and others can expect monthly wages of at least sh.9,628.07. Their current minimum wage is sh.8,596.49.
Long-distance drivers, for instance, whose minimum wage stands at sh.36,360.92, will now have their wages rise to at least sh.40,724.23 after the 12% wage increase.
Uncertified workers, such as those on construction sites, whose minimum daily wage is currently sh.1,750.54, will earn sh.1,960.60 after the 12% wage increase.
Essentially, therefore, every employee will have something to at least mitigate inflation.
COTU’s Earlier Demand
In his speech, COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli asked the President to consider raising the minimum wage by 23%. Atwoli indicated that COTU was not asking for too much, everything considered.
He reminded those present that the late President Mwai Kibaki once granted workers a 22% minimum wage increase.
Kenya has celebrated Labour Day since 1965, hence yesterday’s celebration was the 61st. Although the celebrations are taken for granted, there was a time when workers anticipated the day with bated breath.
That was when only a handful of workers were unionized, and workers received dismal wages. Today, unionized workers number in the millions rather than the hundreds of thousands.
On a different note, hosting the celebrations benefited Vihiga in a way the county otherwise would not. Major roads were lit with street lights, and local roads were improved to make them passable.
Enterprising business owners also benefited from increased customer traffic. This includes owners of transport vehicles, hotels, lodges, and others