Wakiongeza, Tunaongeza: State Officials Set to Demand For Pay Rise Should MPs Push them to

Remember the famous “Wakiongeza Tunaongeza” Slogan? The slogan seen to be already having an impact on Kenyans with regards to the ongoing salary hike debate by Kenyan MPs.

The Salaries and renumeration commission (SRC) has cautioned the Members of Parliament from going on with their plan to pass a legislation that will see them have an increase in their salaries and allowances.

SRC has warned that if their plan is actualized some cadres of government employees will also demand for more benefits.

Members of Parliament seek to empower the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) to handle their welfare, including reviewing their benefits, a move the SRC has termed as unrealistic.

“The enactment of this bill will result in MPs awarding themselves a house allowance and car allowance among others, which will also be demanded by other State and public officers,” the SRC says in a brief.

Debate on the bill resumes on Tuesday afternoon, and it is expected to be passed by Thursday.

Parliament’s Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs, chaired by Baringo North MP William Cheptumo, introduced controversial clauses (A) and (B) in the bill that, if passed, will see the 416 MPs and senators get enhanced benefits.

The legislators want all MPs entitled to a house or a house allowance, a four-wheel drive car fuelled and maintained by the taxpayer, and a car loan, among other benefits.

But fiscal experts argue that the introduction of the clause is fundamental and should have been subjected to public participation, and also involved the National Treasury and Parliament’s Budget and Appropriations Committee, among others, to see whether the demand is feasible.

The legislators further want to have their medical cover increased to include their extended families, a kitty established in all the 290 constituencies to fund public participation in parliamentary affairs and monitoring and evaluation of national government projects in their areas.

They also want the 47 elected senators to be given Sh2 billion for monitoring and evaluating county government projects.

Do you think it is in order for our Members of Parliament to make such demands at this point in time?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *