196 Kenyan MPs to receive pension worth $96,000 after losing seats in Aug 8 election

david nganga

November 9, 2017 10:41 AM

The former legislators were suffering in the three months they have gone without pay.

196 MPs are among a host of 267 legislators set to receive their pension after losing their seats in the Aug 8 polls.

The MPs, who only served for one-term, will choose between the Sh6.7 million gratuity and a refund of their pension contributions made over the 52 months they were in the House.

The former legislators are however expected to go for the refund of their pension rather than the gratuity because the contributions are expected to cross the Sh10 million mark.

Majority Leader Aden Duale on Wednesday told MPs he would move a Motion on the appointment of three members to the Pension Management Committee — which approves payment of retirement benefits to MPs who have lost their seats.

MPs Dan Wanyama (Webuye West, Jubilee), Rehema Jaldesa (Isiolo Woman Rep, Jubilee) and Andrew Mwadime (Mwatate, ODM) have been selected to join the pensions committee and their colleagues will this morning be asked to endorse them.

Members of the 11th Parliament have been pushing for speedy payment of the cash, which had been delayed by the impasse over the committees.

On the other hand, the 79 MPs who failed to retain their seats and had served for two terms will be offered a lifelong pension of Sh125,000 per month and miss out on the gratuity.

The parliamentary Pensions Management Committee, which is in charge of the MPs retirement scheme, lapsed on August 7, the last day of the tenure of the 11th Parliament.

The Treasury had set aside Sh2.8 billion as gratuity cash guaranteeing each MP Sh6.7 million at the end of their term. But some members of the 10th Parliament, whose term ended in early 2013, managed to walk away with both pension and the gratuity cash — which was previously offered to all MPs who failed to secure their seats.

david nganga