Maina Kageni Reveals He Pays His Househelp Ksh 50,000 Per Month

Renowned radio personality Maina Kageni has sparked fresh debate on domestic workers’ wages after revealing on air that he pays his househelp Ksh 50,000 monthly nearly three times the newly gazetted minimum wage of Ksh 18,047.

The disclosure came during the popular morning breakfast show on Classic 105, where Kageni co-hosts with Mwalimu King’ang’i. The two were discussing a recent government directive raising the minimum monthly salary for domestic workers in major cities including Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and Eldoret. Employers who fail to comply risk jail time.

King’ang’i questioned whether the government had considered what domestic workers’ employers earn after tax deductions, suggesting that take-home pay for many employers might make the Ksh 18,000 minimum difficult.

Kageni revealed that he is a strong advocate for paying domestic workers well above the legal minimum, then dropped the figure. “You know me I am a big believer in a high minimum wage. I pay mine Ksh 50,000.” Kageni said.

King’ang’i, surprised, pressed further. He asked why Kageni would pay such a generous amount given that the radio host does not have children or a large family requiring intensive domestic support. “Ksh 50,000 and there is no child? Does she brush your teeth? You think it’s little money?” He joked.

Kageni stood by his position, why a domestic worker without a family to care for should be paid less when she still needs decent housing and living standards. “Where is she supposed to sleep, on a tree or on the floor?” Maina asked.

He remained firm that paying well is both a moral and practical choice.