Raila, Kalonzo, Ruto to Pocket Billions in Retirement Packages in New Bill

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, ex-Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Deputy President William Ruto could pocket billions of shillings in retirement package if Members of Parliament pass a new Bill.

The Bill, dubbed the Retirement Benefits (Deputy President and Designated State Officers) (Amendment) Bill, 2018 is sponsored by Narok Senator Ledama ole Kina and proposes hefty retirement packages for senior State retirees dating back to 1993.

Others who will rake in billions as proposed by the Bill include; Speakers of the both the National Assembly and Senate, the Chief Justice and Deputy Chief Justice.

2013 figures from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) showed that Kenyan taxpayers paid more than Sh500 million per year as pensions for the retired state officers. Going by this figure, sailing through of the Bill could could see taxpayers fork out Sh2.5 billion annually as pension for the state retirees.

“The idea is really to seal loopholes and recognise people who served this country,” Senator Ole Kina said.

“There is nothing the taxpayer is suffering from. My Bill has got nothing to do with taxpayers losing money; my bill has to get everything to do with a law that had already been passed, and now I am sealing the loopholes in that law,” said Kina.

Current House Speakers Justin Muturi and Ken Lusaka as well as their predecessors Ekwe Ethuro, Kenneth Marende and Francis ole Kaparo will also benefit from the Bill. Others who will pocket millions are current Chief Justice David Maraga and ex-CJs Willy Mutunga, Evans Gicheru and Bernard Chunga.

In 2015, a similar Bill awarding State retirees billions of shillings was declared unconstitutional by the High Court. The judge argued that MPs failed to consult the SRC on the matter as required in law.

Ex-Vice Presidents covered in the bill include the late George Saitoti and Micheal Kijana Wamalwa, Moody Awori and Kalonzo.

“Where an entitled person dies in service after the commencement of this Act, a lump sum payment on death calculated as a sum equal to five times the entitled person’s annual salary shall become payable to the entitled person’s legal personal representatives,” reads part of the Bill.

“They (leaders) should be treated with honor. I have lobbied my colleagues from both sides of the House and I am sure it will sail through,” he said when asked about the Bill that is before the Senate Labour and Social Welfare Committee.

Public hearings on the Bill will commence on Wednesday, an advertisement placed in the local dailies on Saturday shows.