It was a handshake that drew a line under Kenya’s bruising election, left many people bewildered and swung open the starting gate for the 2022 presidential race.
It is, however, becoming increasingly evident that the reconciliatory gesture between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his political archival Raila Odinga was more than just a shaking of hands. There is unanimity that it has helped the country turn a new page.
In a statement sent to newsroom on Sunday evening by his spokesman Dennis Onyango, Raila appealed to Members of Parliament to appreciate that the country is struggling with huge debts that cut through the broad spectrum of the economy and deficits strangling specific critical sectors.
With legislators headed for a showdown in parliament this week, Opposition leader Raila Odinga has joined President Uhuru Kenyatta in condemning a controversial bill seeking to improve their perks. Although the MPs have planned to ensure the Parliamentary Service Commission Bill, 2018 sails through despite growing public condemnation over its burden to the taxpayer, Raila has equally warned that passing the bill will hurt Kenyans more.
“The Parliamentary Service Commission Bill is a case of Grand Larceny and an anti-people and insensitive demand that should be disowned and rejected as inappropriate and unacceptable to a great majority of Kenyans if not all, at this time,” he said.
Mr Odinga expressed concern that should MPs pass the Bill, then other workers across the public sector will also demand a pay rise.
The MPs are literally holding the country at ransom. Their actions amount to corruption! At this rate, Kenya requires a dictator who can tame them as well as deal with corruption!
— fnganga1977 (@fnganga1977) December 2, 2018
“The pay hike conspiracy by MPs is coming at a time other public sector employees such as teachers, nurses and civil servants are going through pay restraint and are generally accepting less pay for much work,” Mr. Odinga said.
“The legislators should stand with the people of Kenya and also stop the erosion of public trust in them through this grand impunity that they are trying to force on tax payers,” he added.
Mr. Odinga urged MPs to refrain from returning the country to the pre-2010 Constitution days, pointing out that under the new Constitution, the task of determining salaries of public officers, including MPs, lies with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission.
The proposed law, which comes for third reading this week, seeks to enhance MPs perks including house allowance, car loans, enhanced insurance cover, and a special kitty in each of the 290 constituencies for evaluation of national government projects.