Teachers and civil servants in hardship areas will continue to earn their hardship allowance, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has declared.
Initially there were fears that the hardship areas would be reclassified leading to some of the zones being scrapped out.
However SRC responding to a teacher from Elgeyo Marakwet County, who petitioned SRC in a letter dated 5th May 2025 objecting proposal to remove hardship allowance says its not mandated to designate hardship areas.
“The responsibility to gazette hardship areas is the mandate of the Head of Public Service on recommendation by State Department for Public Service and Human Capital Development,” says SRC in a letter.
SRC further says the hardship allowance rates will continue to apply as outlined in its previous circular.
“The Commission reiterates that the applicable rates of hardship allowance remain as provided in the Commission Circular Ref. No. SRC/ADM/CIR/1/13 Vol. III(126) dated 10th December 2014”
Previously there were proposals to revise hardship areas which would classify hardship areas as EXTREME or MODERATE.
In the proposals some areas were completely removed from getting hardship allowances starting 1st July 2025.
The reclassification would see hardship areas split into two tiers Extreme and Moderate with several recognised regions excluded entirely.
Teachers in areas, such as Tinderet, Soin, Bunyala, Elgeyo Marakwet, and Tharaka Nithi were standing to lose the hardship allowances that have long cushioned them from the challenges of working in remote and under-resourced environments.
Teachers in areas marked as MODERATE were to have their hardship allowances slashed as these areas are said to have made considerable amount of development.
Areas which were marked as EXTREME HARDHIP AREAS included Mandera County, Garissa County, Turkana County, Wajir County, Tana River County, Marasabit County, some parts of Lamu County, West Pokot County, some parts of Baringo County and Isiolo County.
Areas which were marked as MODERATE HARDSHIP AREAS included Narok West, Narok South and Loita, Samburu, some parts of Suba South and Suba North, some parts of Kitui County, some parts of Makueni County, some parts of Kajiado County, some parts of Kilifi County, Nyando and Nyakach in Kisumu County, some parts of Laikipia County and some parts of Nyandarua County.
However teachers are now assured of continuing to get their hardship allowance as SRC says zoning of hardship areas does not fall within its mandate.
Below are 44 areas that are coded to receive hardship allowance by TSC. Teachers working in these areas will continue to earn hardship allowance.
1) Suba – Mfangano and Rusinga Island
2) Kuria – Kegonga
3) Busia – Budalangi
4) Kajiado – Whole Region
5) Nakuru – Mbogoini and Makongeni (Lower Solai)
6) Laikipia – Whole Region
7) Kitui – Whole Region
8) Kilifi – Ganze
9) Keiyo – Whole Region
10) Marakwet – Whole Region
11) Kwale – Kinango and Samburu
12) Trans Mara – Whole Region
13) Mwingi – Whole Region
14) Tharaka – Whole Region
15) Mbeere – Whole Region
16) Malindi – Magarini, Marafa and Kakoneni
17) Machakos – Yalla and Masinga
18) Nyeri – Kieni
19) Kiambu – Ndeiya and Karai
20) Maragwa – Mukuyu
21) Nyandarua – Nyahururu High School
22) Nyandarua – Nyandarua Boarding Primary
23) Kericho – Whole Region
24) Kisumu – Muhoroni Valley and Sondu
25) Thika – Kakuzi
26) Koibatek – Kimgorom
27) Narok – Eastern Mau, Osupuko, Mara, Loita and Southern Olulunga
28) Makueni – Whole Region
29) Isiolo – Whole Region
30) Moyale – Whole Region
31) Marsabit – Whole Region
32) Garissa – Whole Region
33) Mandera – Whole Region
34) Wajir – Whole Region
35) Lamu – Whole Region
36) Tana River – Whole Region
37) Taita Taveta – Whole Region
38) Baringo – Whole Region
39) Samburu – Whole Region
40) Turkana – Whole Region
41) West Pokot – Whole Region
42) Mara – Whole Region
43) Nandi – Tinderet
44) Meru North (Nyambene) – Mutuai, Ndoleli and Igembe East, Buuri, Giika, Linjoka, Ankamia, Amung’enti, Thangatha, Mumui, Kiujuline and Akithi zones.
What about mwala and kalama following the petition?