100pc pay increase plan for Kenya AG and CJ

• Higher salaries also proposed for judges, auditor-general and poll commissioners.
• Miscellaneous Law Amendment Bill also proposes changes to the Constitutional Offices (Remuneration) Act, that will see the salaries of selected senior government appointees increased.
• Pay proposals will however have to be approved by Parliament before coming into force.

Kenya Attorney General and Chief Justice could start earning double their current basic pay if Parliament approves new proposals released on Friday.

From Sh531,650 a month, the AG’s new basic pay could shoot up to nearly Sh1 million a month, exclusive of allowances. And when allowances are added at current rate, the AG and CJ will take home Sh1.7 million per month after serving in their posts for at least 10 years.

Qualify

Attorney General Amos Wako has served for 18 years and will automatically qualify for the new top rate, while Chief Justice Evan Gicheru, who is doing his fifth year, will have to wait a little bit longer.

Higher salaries are also proposed for judges of the Court of Appeal and the High Court, the controller and auditor general, the chairman, deputy chairman and members of the Public Service Commission (PSC) and members of the Electoral Commission.

The recommendations are part of the changes proposed in the Miscellaneous Law Amendment Bill published by Mr Wako on May 6.

It proposes changes to the Constitutional Offices (Remuneration) Act, that will see the salaries of selected senior government appointees increased.

High Court judges earn a basic salary of Sh300,000 and an additional Sh460,000 in allowances. Court of Appeal judges earn Sh500,000 as basic salary and Sh460,000 in allowances.

Salaries for constitutional office holders, including the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, AG, judges, Public Service Commissioners, MPs and ECK commissioners are not taxed.
A proposal to tax them, tabled in Parliament by the then Finance minister Amos Kimunya, was rejected.

President Kibaki earns Sh2 million basic pay a month and also draws Sh1.2 million monthly in extraneous and entertainment allowances.

The VP, PM and his deputies receive salaries and allowances from Parliament totalling about Sh800,000 each. In addition, as ministers, they receive Sh200,000 ministerial allowance, Sh100,000 house allowance and Sh23,400 domestic allowance.

An MP earns a minimum of Sh851,000 every month, of which only the basic salary of Sh200,000 is taxed.

ECK commissioners were among the best paid civil servants in Kenya, each earning about Sh400,000 a month in salary and allowances, while Mr Kivuitu earned Sh513,000 in salary and allowances. The pay was tax-free.

The commissioners were entitled to a security officer, a driver, a cook and a house allowance of up to Sh50,000.
The high salaries earned by judges contrast with those of magistrates and para-legal staff, the majority of whom take home less than Sh40,000 per month.

According to the new scales for the AG, CJ and other constitutional office holders, that will however have to be approved by Parliament before coming into force.

The Attorney General and the Chief Justice are classified under Band A1, and will take home a minimum of Sh399,440 per month and a maximum of Sh916,500 per month, depending on one’s seniority, based on the number of years served in a particular office and the differences in skills, workload and responsibilities.

The new schedule proposes a minimum monthly salary of Sh292,765, and a maximum of Sh576,120 per month for Court of Appeal judges, controller and auditor general, chairman of Public Service Commission and the chairman of Electoral Commission  again depending on seniority, experience, years served and workload.

This is a significant rise from the current minimum salary of Sh180,655 and a maximum of Sh427,990 enjoyed by such office holders.

High Court judges, deputy chairman of the Public Service Commission and other commissioners, and the vice-chairman of the electoral commission and other commissioners will pocket a minimum of Sh232,960 and a maximum of Sh481,318 per month.

Besides the proposed huge increments, these senior government appointees and constitutional office holder enjoy State protection, top of the range vehicles, government accommodation and numerous allowances.