In August 2022, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) scrapped sitting allowances of MPs in plenary sessions in what the commission said will save taxpayers KSh 1 billion annually.
SRC Chairperson, Lyn Mengich affirmed that its decision to scrap the KSh 8.7 billion sitting allowances for Members of Parliament was based on the principles of equity and fairness according to the Kenyan constitution.
“The principle of equity dictates that those at the same level should earn the same pay. So the pay for F1 is KSh 765,000. For MP it’s actually above that. From the Gazette Notice, the pay was KSh 710,000 before we add the allowances for committee sittings which adds up to a maximum of KSh 120,000, translating to Ksh830,000,” Mengich said.
However, Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary-General Francis Atwoli has warned the commission against scrapping the allowances for MPs.
Speaking to the press in Malindi on Sunday, September 25, Atwoli claimed that denying lawmakers of their allowances will push them to become conmen.
Atwoli said MPs have been sharing their pay with their constituents hence doing away with their allowances could likely push the legislators to resort to wayward means to recover their money.
“Our leaders must have allowances appear well, dress well, must have nice cars, must be able to speak, and represent the lowly placed Kenyans. This cannot be done when you are a beggar,
“It is us as taxpayers to make sure that they are well dressed so that they don’t become conmen,” Atwoli said.
MPs earn KSh 7,500 for every sitting and the abolishment of the allowances for plenary sessions in the National Assembly and the senate is meant to ease the pressure on the public sector wage bill which is currently at KSh 930.5 billion.
