Blow to MPs as Uhuru says no to pay rise

President Uhuru Kenyatta has vowed to reject any Bill passed by the 12^th Parliament that will increase the salaries of newly-elected Members of Parliament.

Speaking on Thursday, August 24, President Kenyatta said that he will not be assenting to any Bill that will look to scrap the Salaries and Remuneration Commission’s (SRC) new pay structure that were introduced in July 2017.

“I am greatly disturbed by MPs-elect shameful demand for higher pay. I support SRC’s pay cut structure. No one deserves to be paid more than SRC states. I swear I will not sign any Bill that intends to increase salaries,” said President Kenyatta.

This comes even after a number of MPs-elect have faulted the SRC for lowering their salaries, vowing to reject the recommendations in Parliament.

Mbita MP-elect, Millie Odhiambo, said that the new pay structure will be-little MPs and that it will make them poor.

“You can’t reduce MPs salaries without doing serious consultations with all the stakeholders. Scrapping our allowances is insensitive of SRC. Like for my case I’m approached by residents of Mbita on a weekly basis to contribute on some projects that cost me like Ksh 200,000 a week. How will I survive now,” said Millie Odhiambo during JKL Show at Citizen Television on Wednesday, August 23.

Homa Bay Woman Representative-elect, Gladys Wanga, who is a member of the 11th Parliamentary Service Commission says that MPs will fight the new salary structure that has also cut mileage allowances and scrapped their car grant.

“The new pay structure will reduce MPs to beggars and it is humiliating. Taking us back where you depend on incentives to travel to your constituency is bad. Do you expect MP from Lagdera to walk all the way to his constituency? As PSC we will not allow SRC to humiliate MPs,” said Wanga.

According to the new SRC pay structure, the President’s monthly gross will be Ksh 1.4 million from Ksh 1.6m; the Deputy President’s salary will be Ksh 1.2 million from Ksh 1.4 million; the salary for Cabinet Secretaries will be Ksh 924,000 from Ksh 1 million; the salary of Speakers of both Houses has been reduced to Ksh 1,155,000 from Ksh 1.3 million; Principal Secretaries’ pay has been slashed from Ksh 874,500 to Ksh 765,188; and the salaries for governors will be Ksh 924,000 from Ksh 1,056,000.

In the reviewed pay structure set to be effected after the General Election, Deputy Governors will take home Ksh 621,250 from Ksh 701,440 monthly while Members of County Assembly will earn Ksh 141,165 from Ksh 165,000.

The Leaders of Majority and Minority of both Houses (National Assembly and Senate) will earn a monthly gross salary of Ksh 765,188 from Ksh 1,020,000.

MP’s and Senators’ salaries have also been slashed from Ksh 710,000 to Ksh 621,250.

In addition, SRC also abolished MPs’ sitting allowances and reimburse mileage allowances.