The government has moved to strengthen pension administration by requiring public servants to begin processing their retirement benefits at least nine months before their official retirement date, in a bid to eliminate long-standing delays in pension payments.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi announced the reform while presenting the 2026/27 Budget Statement in the National Assembly, saying it will be implemented through the Electronic Pension Management Information System (e-PMIS), a digital platform designed to streamline pension administration across the public sector.
The move comes as the government seeks to improve efficiency in the processing and payment of retirement benefits, after years in which many retirees have experienced lengthy delays before accessing their pensions after leaving public service.
Under the new framework, civil servants approaching retirement will be required to initiate pension processing and complete all necessary documentation at least nine months before exiting service.
The Treasury says the extended processing window will give pension administrators sufficient time to verify records, resolve discrepancies and finalise payments before retirement takes effect.
According to Mbadi, the reform is part of broader efforts to modernise public finance management and improve service delivery through digital systems.
For years, delays in pension processing have remained a major concern among retired public servants, with some pensioners waiting months to receive benefits due to incomplete documentation, verification challenges and reliance on manual procedures.
Government officials believe the mandatory pre-retirement processing requirement will significantly reduce these delays by ensuring cases are handled well in advance.
The adoption of e-PMIS is also expected to improve transparency and accountability by digitising pension records and reducing dependence on paper-based systems that have contributed to inefficiencies.
To support implementation, Mbadi said the National Treasury will work with the Kenya School of Government to institutionalise training on the Electronic Pension Management Information System.
The training programme will target officers involved in pension administration across government institutions, with the aim of ensuring sustained competence in the use of the platform.
According to the Treasury, strengthening technical capacity among public officers will be critical to the successful rollout of the system and improved efficiency in pension management.
In recent years, the government has introduced several digital platforms across public services, including eCitizen, the Electronic Government Procurement System (eGP) and other online systems aimed at improving access and accountability.
Officials say digitising pension administration will not only speed up payments but also improve record management and reduce errors that often delay retirement benefits.