This archive report was first published on 12 September 2019.
On September 12, 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta made a crucial decision that sent a strong message to Kenya's lawmakers. He rejected the Parliamentary Service Commission Amendment Bill 2018, which aimed to empower MPs to award themselves salaries and other emoluments, contrary to existing laws.
As State officers, MPs' pay and benefits are determined by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC). The commission has capped MPs' pay, including rationalizing their sitting allowances, but the MPs have been strongly opposed to this. They have threatened to decapitate the commission to ensure it does not block their schemes.
Despite claiming hefty house allowances and enjoying one of the cheapest mortgage schemes in the country, MPs have managed to secure lucrative perks, including a car allowance and a monthly housing allowance of Sh250,000. They have also introduced a plan to be paid night allowance to cater for their stay in the city.
MPs control big budgets through the Constituency Development Fund, where they determine who sits in the management committees and decide how the cash is spent. They also control other devolved funds, such as bursaries that they use to buy votes.
The creation of SRC through the Constitution aimed to eliminate a situation where some public officers decided their own pay packages. There must be fair play and objectivity in compensation. The MPs' greed must be tamed by stopping them from making decisions on their salaries.
