Does the new constitution have a cluase where by Kenyans can send home dissenting MP?
Thursday, March 28, 2013 - 00:00 -- BY FRANCIS MUREITHI AND JOYCE CHEGE
NEWLY
elected Members of Parliament have vowed to overturn the decision of
the Salaries and Remuneration Commission reducing their monthly pay to
Sh535,500 saying it was "unacceptable."
They vowed to either abolish the commission through a constitutional amendment or pass a vote of no confidence against the Commission's chairperson, Sarah Serem, and her fellow commissioners.
Many of the MPs-elect, who are due to be sworn in today, said they had left well paying jobs including senior positions in government and the private sector.
They were speaking at the sidelines of a Jubilee coalition retreat at the Great Rift Valley Lodge in Naivasha.
They said it was unconstitutional for the commission to scale down their pay from the Sh850,000 monthly salary enjoyed by members of the Tenth Parliament.
“I am a doctor by profession. I worked for the government as a senior officer at the Ministry of Health where l was in job Group Q. The people I left are in job group R. I left to come and serve the people. How do you expect to pay me such a salary?” said one newly elected MP.
“As I was walking in here, I received a call from one of my constituents. He said he is just about to be taken to the theatre. I know that he wants me to send him money for the bill,” said another first time MP.
Another MP said they will be unable to repay their Sh20 million mortgage and Sh7 million car loan if they only earn Sh535,500 per month.
“The law is clear that when you repay your loans, you must be left with at least 30 per cent of your salary. That is why we say this proposal is a big joke,” said the MP, a senior government official before entering into politics.
The SRC has reduced the salary of MPs to bring down the huge public wage bill caused by more MPs and devolution.
The commission also withdrew the duty free car import perk enjoyed by previous MPs and instead proposed a Sh7 million car loan at three percent interest.
Previously, the Parliamentary Service Commission gave new MPs a Sh3.3 million grant to buy a duty free vehicle.
The commission has also capped sitting allowances for MPs to a maximum of four meetings per week.
Yesterday, the Jubilee MPs threatened to disband the SRC just as the Tenth Parliament dealt with the former Kenya Anti Corruption Commission led P.L.O Lumumba. They said they would amend the law, disband the commission and send all the commissioners home.
“You cannot just reduce someone's salary like that. In fact, it is supposed to just continue going up and up,” said the MP.
They vowed to either abolish the commission through a constitutional amendment or pass a vote of no confidence against the Commission's chairperson, Sarah Serem, and her fellow commissioners.
Many of the MPs-elect, who are due to be sworn in today, said they had left well paying jobs including senior positions in government and the private sector.
They were speaking at the sidelines of a Jubilee coalition retreat at the Great Rift Valley Lodge in Naivasha.
They said it was unconstitutional for the commission to scale down their pay from the Sh850,000 monthly salary enjoyed by members of the Tenth Parliament.
“I am a doctor by profession. I worked for the government as a senior officer at the Ministry of Health where l was in job Group Q. The people I left are in job group R. I left to come and serve the people. How do you expect to pay me such a salary?” said one newly elected MP.
“As I was walking in here, I received a call from one of my constituents. He said he is just about to be taken to the theatre. I know that he wants me to send him money for the bill,” said another first time MP.
Another MP said they will be unable to repay their Sh20 million mortgage and Sh7 million car loan if they only earn Sh535,500 per month.
“The law is clear that when you repay your loans, you must be left with at least 30 per cent of your salary. That is why we say this proposal is a big joke,” said the MP, a senior government official before entering into politics.
The SRC has reduced the salary of MPs to bring down the huge public wage bill caused by more MPs and devolution.
The commission also withdrew the duty free car import perk enjoyed by previous MPs and instead proposed a Sh7 million car loan at three percent interest.
Previously, the Parliamentary Service Commission gave new MPs a Sh3.3 million grant to buy a duty free vehicle.
The commission has also capped sitting allowances for MPs to a maximum of four meetings per week.
Yesterday, the Jubilee MPs threatened to disband the SRC just as the Tenth Parliament dealt with the former Kenya Anti Corruption Commission led P.L.O Lumumba. They said they would amend the law, disband the commission and send all the commissioners home.
“You cannot just reduce someone's salary like that. In fact, it is supposed to just continue going up and up,” said the MP.
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