MPs thwart President Uhuru’s Attempts to Be-little their Women

Kenyan Members of Parliament seem to thrive better in creating controversies and on getting more funds for their ever growing pockets. Days after President Uhuru asked the members of Parliament to shun talks on increasing their allowances and instead focus on delivering their mandate to the public, members of Parliament have pledged to continue with their push for the said allowances.

The MPs have particularyy insisted that their second families should be covered by State-funded medical insurance.

During an informal sitting at Parliament chaired by Speaker Justin Muturi and attended by his Senate counterpart Ken Lusaka on Tuesday, the 416 members demanded to have a fuelled car despite already drawing mileage allowances and a Sh7 million car grant from the taxpayer.

The members also said they would not relent in their push for the government to cater for their shelter by housing them or paying house allowance despite enjoying a mortgage of up to Sh20 million.

The mortgage has one of the most attractive repayment terms in the country — three per cent interest rate — but must be settled at the end of an MP’s five-year term.

The MPs agreed to have the bill fast-tracked and passed by Tuesday next week.

 

Their demands, widely seen as blackmail on the Executive as MPs prepare to vote on the politically sensitive two-thirds gender bill, flies in the face of exhortation by President Kenyatta on Monday that they drop the demands and focus on improving the welfare of citizens.

Building consensus on the gender bill was shelved during the kamukunji after a section of the MPs said it was not necessary at the time.

According to an MP who attended the meeting, but who cannot be named because of its confidentiality, Budalangi MP Raphael Wanjala protested the exclusion of “some of our family members” from insurance, saying it is discriminatory.

“It is wrong because I have two wives and both of them successfully campaigned for me. But selecting only one for insurance cover is wrong. It is discriminative because where does the other one get the cover?” Mr Wanjala is quoted to have said.

The MPs argued that they want to be accorded similar treatment given to Cabinet secretaries and judges, who have car loans, car grants and official cars as well as mortgage and official residences.

Are the MPs right in demanding insurance cover for their second wives?

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