The Kenya National Assembly will not stop surprising. At least is a house full of drama. I don’t know what is ever taken serious by them. But wait not everything , when it comes to their interests don’t even think twice they are always up to the task.
Just yesterday the much anticipated 2/3 gender bill did not sail through. The good reason is that the house did not enough quorum to vote for the bill. This means we to wait till next year February for another trial.
This is not the case when it comes to putting an extra plate on their table. They will be up in numbers and on time to make the agenda sail through.
This is what happened yesterday.
Members of Parliament on Tuesday voted to approve the Parliamentary Service Bill 2018 during its second reading, the penultimate stage to awarding themselves hefty perks.
After the conclusion of debate on the bill, Eldas MP Adan Keynan urged colleagues to ensure it sails through since “Parliament is the first arm of government”.
Adding that MPs were not proposing salary increases for themselves “as reported by the media”, Mr Keynan wrapped up his presentation by saying “lawmakers have no apologies to make”.
The bill is now set for the third reading, clause by clause, when amendments will be introduced, although the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has expressed fears that enacting the bill will see other State and public officers also demand more benefits.
The bill seeks to give the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) powers to determine the perks of the 416 members of the National Assembly and the Senate, as well as their two Speakers.
A gap in Kenyan law has allowed MPs to continue dictating their terms of service even after the SRC was formed, in the spirit of the 2010 Constitution, to help rationalise pay in the public sector and cut the public wage bill.
The SRC is designed to be independent and set the salaries of State officers and public servants, including MPs. However, it has to curry favour with the legislators, on whose goodwill it relies for budgetary allocations as well as approval of the appointment of commissioners.
The allowances in Kenya, multiple sources indicate, are higher than the basic pay. They include a Sh7 million car loan, business class travel, car maintenance, a Sh20 million mortgage, untaxed pension, a gratuity at almost a third of annual pay for every year served, and medical cover of more than Sh10 million per year, restricted to one spouse and four children.
The lawmakers’ medical scheme provides a Sh10 million inpatient cover per family, Sh300,000 for outpatient cover, Sh150,000 for maternity, and Sh75,000 for dental care.
According to the Auditor-General and a 2012 UN report on parliaments, the Kenyan legislature consumes one in every 50 shillings of public expenditure, compared to 57 cents for countries with a population of between 10 million and 50 million.
These is only but a little of what your member of parliament is demanding despite earning a lot.
What is a one message to your member of parliament?