Lowest earning workers in the country could start earning a minimum wage of Shs 8,579 after the government proposed a 13.1% increase in the minimum wage. The announcement made at this years' International Labour Day celebrations on May 1st was met with mixed reactions from the public.

The cost of living in Kenya has blown the roof and low income earners have not been spared the agony of paying for high costs of food and transport costs. The Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) was demanding for a minimum wage of Shs' 12, 000 for the workers.

In a statement read on his behalf by Labour Minister John Munyes, President Kibaki proposed the 13.1% raise in minimum wage seen as a means of enabling the lowest paid workers cope with high commodity prices as inflation remains at all time high in the country.

The presidents proposal however does not affect civil servants whose salaries are now controlled by the Salaries and Remunerations Commission  who advises the government what to pay the civil servants.

A section of those who attended the Labour Day celebrations at Nairobi's Uhuru Park expressed different views on the announcement. Some welcomed the move saying the small margin would make a difference in this hard economic times while others were angry saying the cost of living is too high to manage with such amounts.