Taxpayers Agony as MPs Set to Pocket Millions in Mileage Allowances

Members of Parliament are set to pocket millions of shillings after the Parliamentary Service Commissions (PSC) reinstated the old mileage reimbursement packages.

The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) had last year scraped off the allowances in a move that was aimed at easing the burden of billions of shillings on taxpayers.

In a memo to MPs, National Assembly Clerk Micheal Sialai, who doubles up as the Parliamentary Service Commission's secretary said the move to reinstate the allowances was informed by the High Court’s December, 2017 decision to suspend the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) from reviewing remuneration of MPs and other state officers.

“Reference is made to Nairobi Judicial Review No. 686 of 2017. The Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) VS the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) where the High Court suspended implementation of SRC Gazette Notice No.6517. This therefore means that PSC reverts to remuneration package for MPs as it was prior to the gazette Notice,” read the memo.

The latest development means that the MPs will now get a fixed maintenance car allowance of Ksh356,525 per month.

MPs who travel 375 kilometers from Parliament to their constituencies will pocket higher mileage allowances, some running as high as millions of shillings.