Former councilors demand Ksh1.5m send-off package

Siaya County Assembly Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs has called on the national government to look into former councilors’ demand for gratuity and monthly pensions.

Over 200 Siaya ex-councilors, led by the Siaya County Former Councilors Forum, had written a petition to the county assembly requesting the county government to consider awarding them Ksh1.5 million gratuity and a monthly pension of Ksh30,000 each on October 26 this year.

The ex-councilors demanded legislative intervention as to why they were not appreciated yet Members of Parliament and other government officials who served in appointive positions were compensated through pensions and send-off packages.

In the petition that was read by the Siaya County Assembly Speaker Mr George Okode demanded that the national government should direct the county government to offer the ex-councilors a one-off send-off package of Ksh1.5 million each.

Addressing Citizen Digital, the former ward representatives added that the matter needs a national outlook since Siaya County ex-councilors are not the only ones petitioning for compensation.

Mr Okode instructed the Justice and Legal Affairs committee to meet with relevant stakeholders such as the Senate, County Executive Committee members for Finance, the National treasury and Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to deliberate of the petition.

The ex-councilors has also asked for privileges such as access to sponsored health insurance, access to county assembly premises and facilities and exemption from paying parking fees among others.

Okedo gave the executive committee 60 days to table a report on the petition.

Written by Lucy Akinyi