SRC proposes changes in MPs'pay and benefits

Some Members of Parliament are angry at the Salaries and Remunerations Commission, despite the commission’s proposal to increase their basic pay.

According to a report by Business Daily, a showdown is looming between Parliament and the SRC.

In its new proposals, the commission recommended a Sh40,000 increase in the MPs’ pay to Sh750,000 per month.

A general view taken on March 26, 2015 in Nairobi shows the Kenyan parliament, as President Uhuru Kenyatta addresses two Houses the Senate and the National Assembly. President Kenyatta's speech comes against the backdrop of rising corruption and insecurity in the country. AFP PHOTO/SIMON MAINA (Photo credit should read SIMON MAINA/AFP via Getty Images) Pulse Live Kenya

However, the documents also propose cuts in the legislators' allowances and benefits in order to stem the ballooning wage bill.

In the new proposals, MPs’ car grants have been slashed from Sh5 million each to Sh3.5 million.

This means that new elected officials will have to chip in their own money or take out loans to buy high-end cars such as Toyota Prados and Landcruisers which retail for over Sh5 million on the grey imports market.

2014 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado ece-auto-gen

Sitting allowance has also been capped to 8 committee sittings in a month. This means that chairpersons of committees who are entitled to Sh10,000 will get a maximum of Sh80,000 monthly.

Normal members of the committees who take home Sh5,000 per sitting will only take home a maximum of Sh40,000.

The SRC has also proposed to cut the mileage allowance from the current Sh187 per kilometre to Sh112.

The commission is expected to gazette the proposed changes after the closure of Parliament in June ahead of the General Elections, to avoid clashing with current MPs.

“The SRC does not agree with the Parliamentary Service Commission proposals but we will put our foot down. We will wait for the SRC budget and we will either shoot it down or cut it substantially,” an MP who spoke to Business Daily said.

“The SRC is a part-time commission but they are sitting permanently, getting sitting and house allowances but are at the same time denying us house allowances,” the legislator added.