Kenyan Members of parliament have always had a craving for money. The MPs in whichever avenue they get what always comes in their minds is how they can gather more cash. Their appetite for money cannot be quenched easily.
Despite the fact that they are among the highly paid across different parts of the globe it is never enough to them. They still need more and more.
Lawmakers have hatched a plan to lock out the Salaries and Remuneration Commission from determining and reviewing their salaries.
They have drafted the Parliamentary Service Bill, 2018, in which they want to mandate the Parliamentary Service Commission to decide how much they earn.
Clause 33 of the Bill states: “The employees of the commission shall be paid such remuneration and allowances as shall be determined by the commission.
“The terms and conditions of employees of the commission shall be reviewed every three years or within such a shorter period as the commission may determine.”
But during a public participation exercise conducted by the Justice and Legal Affairs committee, the SRC protested the move, saying their advisory role to the government on remuneration of public officers was being snatched from them.
“This clause needs to be amended to take into account Article 230( 4 ) and the SRC Act on the advisory role of the SRC and the responsibility of determining the review cycle for terms and conditions of employees in the public sector as per the SRC Act No. 10 of 2011,” SRC secretary Anne Gitau said in a memorandum to the committee.
Committee chairman and Baringo North MP William Cheptumo tabled a report last Wednesday. They recommended that the clause remain as it is.
The bill underwent First Reading on March 13. It seeks to repeal and replace the Parliamentary Service Act, 2000.
The SRC slashed the lawmakers’ salaries from Sh710,000 to Sh621,250 per month.
President Uhuru Kenyatta praised the SRC efforts. He said the new structure would ensure fairness across the pay divide and urged civil servants to support the recommendations.
“I call upon Kenyans to support the SRC’s recommendations, as this will help tame the wage bill. The recommendations provide a clear and transparent guideline to test fair pay and non-exorbitant pay,” he said.
“Leadership is about service and not a business.”
DO YOU THINK THE MPS HAVE THE AGENDA OF COMMON MWANANCHI AT HEART?