If you thought that the debts the country has are enough to kill mwananchi, wait till you learn of the heavy perks that are loaded on Kenyans in the maintenance of retired top state officials.
Apparently, the Treasury has set aside Sh1.5 billion to cater for the retirement benefits of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and retired Vice-Presidents, including Kalonzo Musyoka, underlining the burden of keeping former State officials comfortable in retirement.
The expenditure for this line is being introduced for the first.
The State eased restrictions on the Opposition leaders’ access to retirement benefits following the peace deal between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his rival, Mr. Odinga, popularly referred to as “the handshake” of March 2018.
Mr. Odinga and Mr. Musyoka will be entitled to a lump sum pay of Sh8.64 million, Sh720,000 in monthly lifelong pension and Sh108,000 in fuel allowance every month besides other lavish benefits like fully furnished offices as well as 17 workers including chefs, accountants, secretaries and personal assistants at taxpayers’ expense.
The two leaders currently earn a monthly pension of nearly Sh200,000 for the multiple terms they served as MPs for Lang’ata and Mwingi North constituencies respectively
The MP’s pension will stop once they start accessing the heavy perks.
President Kenyatta had in 2015 declined to assent to a bill that would have given Mr Musyoka and Mr Odinga the hefty perks, citing their participation in active politics but softened his stance following the handshake.