Construction Minimum Wage Guide
Every Kenyan employer must pay at least the minimum wage set for their trade and location, and construction is one of the trades the wage order names directly. The rate is reviewed and gazetted each year, and it differs by municipality and by category of worker. This guide explains how the construction minimum wage works in practice, how it applies to casuals, what to check in the current wage order and how to stay out of underpayment disputes. It does not quote a figure, because the figure changes.
Updated October 17, 2026 · Guides
How Kenya sets the construction minimum wage
Minimum wages are set under the Labour Institutions Act and published by the Ministry of Labour in a wage order, normally reviewed annually and gazetted. The order lists rates by trade and by municipality, with higher-tier towns paying more than others. Because it is re-gazetted, the only reliable figure is the one in the current order for your municipality — not last year's rate, and not a number someone quoted on a WhatsApp group.
Trades, categories and casual workers
The construction rates are broken down by trade and skill level — labourers, artisans and the various fundi categories are treated separately, and a skilled rate is higher than an unskilled one. Casual workers on daily pay are covered too: a casual day rate must still meet the floor set for that trade and place. Paying a mason as an unskilled labourer to save money is both an underpayment and a quick route to a labour dispute.
What to check in the current wage order
Before you set rates for a new site, work through the order methodically and record what you applied. That record is your defence if a claim is ever made.
- Confirm the current wage order is the latest gazetted version.
- Find the municipality or town where the site actually sits.
- Match each worker to the correct trade and skill category.
- Check whether a separate rate applies to casual daily labour.
- Confirm your payslips show at least the gazetted floor for that worker.
Avoiding underpayment disputes
Most underpayment claims are not fraud; they are drift. A rate was set two years ago, the wage order moved, nobody updated payroll. The fix is discipline: review rates against the new order each year, keep the trade and municipality for every worker on file, and issue payslips that show the rate applied. When attendance is verified and the payroll record is clean, a dispute becomes a short conversation rather than a costly one.
Frequently asked questions
What is the construction minimum wage in Kenya right now?
There is no single figure. The rate depends on the trade, the skill category and the municipality, and it is re-gazetted by the Ministry of Labour, usually each year. Always check the current wage order for the exact rate that applies to your site.
Does the minimum wage apply to casual construction workers?
Yes. Casual and daily-rated workers are covered by the wage order, and a day rate must meet the floor for that trade and location. Casual status affects entitlements such as leave, not the minimum you may pay for a day's work.
What happens if I pay below the minimum wage?
Underpaying exposes you to a labour claim, back pay and penalties, and it damages your ability to keep good fundis. Because construction records are now easier to inspect, an unexplained gap between the gazetted rate and your payslips is hard to defend.
How do I keep rates current across several sites?
Store the trade and municipality for every worker, then review all rates against the new wage order once a year, ideally before the order takes effect. A system that generates payslips from those records makes it obvious when a rate falls below the floor.
Keep reading
Guides
PAYE for Construction Workers
How PAYE works for Kenyan construction crews — tax bands, personal relief, casual daily wages, and the mistakes that trip up site payrolls.
Guides
Muster Roll Requirements in Kenya
What Kenyan construction sites must record about workers, why NCA expects a muster roll kept on site, and how a digital roll satisfies and strengthens an audit.
Glossary
Casual Labour
Work engaged by the day or task rather than a permanent contract — the basis on which most Kenyan construction fundis are hired and paid.
Solutions
FundiPay for Contractors
Run every site from one dashboard — geofenced muster rolls, direct M-Pesa B2C wages, payroll float and automated statutory deductions.