MPs Sue Salaries and Remuneration Commission Over Pay Cuts

The Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) has moved to court seeking to have a Gazette notice by Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) that slashed Members of Parliament's sitting allowances among other benefits reversed. 

In a petition filed in High Court, MPs argue that the Sarah Serem-led SRC encroached on the constitutional role of PSC and accuses it of attempting to cripple the operation of the 12th Parliament.

The SRC in a gazette notice published on July 7th abolished car grant on MPs, slashed the number of sitting allowances for plenary sittings and sitting allowances for committee meetings to 16 per month and also removed reimbursable mileage allowance.

Through lawyer George Miyare, the MPs argue the car grant was a facilitative allowance previously issued to State officers serving in Parliament.

On reduction of allowances for committee meetings, the lawyer claims the move was amounts to trespassing on the independence of Parliament and its constitutional mandate by limiting its free operations.

“That SRC encroached on the constitutional mandate and responsibilities of the PSC, which is to ensure the efficient and effective functioning of Parliament and to perform other functions necessary for the well-being of the members and staff of Parliament,” read part of the petition.

Miyare further terms the review of MPs salaries as unfair and ill-informed because it was introduced when the MPs had already undergone political party nominations and believed that the existing terms would prevail.