A Cabinet minister has proposed that the retirement age for civil servants be raised from 55 to 60 years.

Public Service minister Dalmas Otieno said on Thursday that this would reduce Government spending on pensions, currently standing at about five per cent of total revenue.

Mr Otieno is also proposing that the Government's pension scheme be reformed to go in line with that of the private sector where the employer and the employee contribute towards the scheme.

The minister noted that raising the retirement age would lessen the burden on tax payers since the pensions would be paid for a lesser period. However, he said that the civil service must be made more productive so that it can create more jobs to accommodate the younger generation.

"The younger generation is opposed to the idea of raising the retirement age, arguing that they are in need of the jobs," said Mr Otieno.

The minister was speaking at a Nairobi hotel where he officially opened a workshop on the participation of women in the public service.

He challenged women leaders to come up with strategies that will aid the Government's implementation of a presidential directive seeking to have women fill 30 per cent of all public service jobs.

Appointments

Last year, President Kibaki directed that women benefit from at least 30 per cent of all public appointments.

But Mr Otieno noted that the appointments must fall within the principles of merit, experience, performance and regional balance.

He added that women appointed to the civil service should also expect to be put on performance contracts.

"There is no charity in the public service. They must also perform," he said.