Jubilee, NASA MPs Put Party Differences Aside to Push for Salary Increment

Jubilee and National Super Alliance (Nasa) Members of Parliament have put their party differences aside to push for increased salaries and allowances.

After approving names of new members of the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) on Thursday, MPs drawn from both sides vowed to make sure they reverse Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC)'s move to slash their pay.

“I want the commissioners who we have approved to engage effectively with SRC on the selective issue of salaries, the review of salaries should not be only for MPs but the entire civil service as per the mandate of SRC in the constitution,” Minority Leader John Mbadi said.

“SRC must know we are MPs. Even other civil servants have mortgages, even chiefs are given motorcycles and fuel allowances. MPs should also be afforded the same,” added Mbadi.

Weeks to August 8th, 2017 general elections, SRC slashed MPs pay from Sh710,000 to Sh621,250 per month, a move that current legislators have protested, terming it as discriminative and punitive.

“The matter of salaries is still in court but obviously it is one of the things we will look at. We want members to feel comfortable,” Borabu MP Ben Momanyi, who was appointed to PSC, said.

In the new pay structure by SRC, hefty allowances given to MPs, including a Sh5 million car grant were withdrawn. The cuts were, however, suspended by the High Court, pending hearing and determination of a case by MPs challenging the decision.