Politics
House panel puts off decision on MPs' pay
Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau. Photo/FILE
Posted Monday, January 25 2010 at 11:45
The Parliamentary Service Commission has postponed the discussion on the proposed increase for MPs’ perks to next month.
Two PSC commissioners said the report on salary proposals was time-barred because the team had “a heavy agenda and the discussion of the report came last.
The lawmakers who attended the PSC’s meeting in Mombasa told the Nation.co.ke on Monday that the bulk of the time was spent on discussing Parliament’s 10-year strategic plan.
Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau and Kisumu Town West MP Olago Aluoch, both commissioners with the PSC, said the report on salary proposals for MPs and staff “was not opened.”
“We’ll go through it come February and make sure we put the interests of Kenyans at heart in our recommendations,” said Mr Kamau. “But then Parliament will have the last word on the report.”
Seals not broken
Mr Olago added: “We’ll analyse the proposals, make our recommendations and then present the report to Parliament for its adoption. I can confirm that the seals of the report were not broken, so we still do not know what’s in there.”
A tribunal led by judge Akilano Akiwumi compiled the report after holding countrywide hearings on the matter.
Speculation has been rife that the PSC postponed the report due to the public outrage that greeted Daily Nation’s expose on the Sh46,000 net increase in the salaries of MPs. But the MPs denied this.
The tribunal’s proposals included a Sh150,000 increase in basic salary, and the doubling of sitting allowance to Sh10,000. A five per cent annual pay increase was also proposed in order to cushion the MPs from the rise in cost of living.
There was also a proposal that MPs pay taxes on some of the allowances. The proposals also offer a pay and retirement package for the wives of the President, Vice President and Prime Minister.
Even with the Sh150,000 rise in salaries, the tax liability is minimal. This is so because the MPs currently pay tax only on their Sh200,000 basic salary.
“Taxation should start immediately, so that Kenyans do not keep isolating us as the only group that does not pay tax,” said Mr Kamau, who is also the chair of the House Committee on Implementation.
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Submitted by trewmanPosted January 25, 2010 11:30 PM
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Submitted by silwal
wanja, you're very right. It's total insult to kenyas taxpayers. They eran too much and are still engauged in corrupt deals where some are paid to support or shoot down motions irrespective of how important the motion is to Kenyans. These rip off hard working Kenyans heart in the name of "MPs for hire". Shame on them.
Posted January 25, 2010 07:35 PM -
Submitted by kimaich
How dare these MPs even think about salary increase? What more have they done for Kenyans to deserve the rise? It's very sad that at the time when Kenyans are suffering the increased living costs, our leaders do not want to suffer with us. They are no better than the gluttonous ones that preceded them. There needs to be an independent commission that determines their salaries. They are running the country like their own private businesses. May the Lord forgive them.
Posted January 25, 2010 06:56 PM -
Submitted by jimk7
"Putting interest of Kenyans at heart", why cant he just say "we are potting our own interests at heart", they do not want to pay taxes, they increase their salaries without consulting Kenyans. Wait for the ballot, a lot of these people will be jobless. Send them home
Posted January 25, 2010 05:57 PM -
Submitted by wanja2003
say what? "cushion MPs from the rise in the cost of living" it just sounds like an insult to hard working Kenyans. Then they get to choose whether to pay taxes. This is the face of EVIL...look no further!!!
Posted January 25, 2010 02:20 PM
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I will found my own party.every member will get a contract saying that he has to cut his pay by 60 percent if errected as mp.the no of mps will be cut to 80 and we shall have 80 senators.I will do away with disrict commissioners and chiefs.instead of eight provincial commissioners We shall have 8 governors.We shall have 20 ministries and the cabinet will not have 2 ministers from the same tribe.there will be one police force. period!