Minimum wage in Kenya: where the official rates are published and what your employer must pay
State Department for Labour and Skills Development · sources read 2 Oct 2026
The legal minimum wage is set in a wages order published in the Kenya Gazette, which can set different rates for different kinds of workers. Your employer must pay you at least your rate, even if your contract says less. For example, a general labourer, cleaner or house help in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru or Eldoret must get at least KSh 18,047.40 a month, plus 15% housing allowance if not housed.
- Fee
- We couldn't confirm a fee from the official page. Check it there before you pay.
- Where
- Rates: the Kenya Gazette (Regulation of Wages orders, also on Kenya Law). Underpayment complaints: your area Labour Officer (State Department for Labour)
Steps
- Look up the latest Regulation of Wages order. By law it is published in the Kenya Gazette (you can also find gazetted orders on Kenya Law).
- Find the rate for your job. The order sets minimum pay and can set different rates for different groups of workers, so check your occupation and where you work.
- Paid less than the minimum? Report it to the area Labour Officer. They record your complaint on Form LD 64 after interviewing you.
Watch out
- You can't sign away the minimum wage. A contract that pays less is automatically replaced by the wages order rate.
- Underpaying is an offence. If the employer is convicted, the court can order them to pay you the difference.
- Employers must put up notices telling workers about any wages order that affects them.
Who can apply
- Any employee covered by a wages order. The minimum rate becomes part of your terms of employment.
- General labourer, cleaner, gardener, house help, day watchman, messenger (per month, before housing allowance): KSh 18,047.40 in the five cities; KSh 16,650.95 in former municipalities and Mavoko, Ruiru, Limuru; KSh 9,628.07 elsewhere.
- Night watchman (per month): KSh 20,133.72 in the five cities; KSh 18,665.88 in former municipalities; KSh 11,483.43 elsewhere.
- If your employer doesn't house you, they must add a housing allowance of 15% of the minimum wage.
- A normal working week is at most 52 hours over six days.
Official sources (3)
- The Labour Institutions Act, 2007 labour.go.ke · read 1 Oct 2026
- Handling Labour Disputes labour.go.ke · read 1 Oct 2026
- The Regulation of Wages (General) Order (L.N. 120 of 1982), as amended to L.N. 108 of 2026 new.kenyalaw.org · read 2 Oct 2026