Treasury turns down Sh1.5 million bid for Mutunga

MONDAY, 15 AUGUST 2011 00:02 BY JILLO KADIDA

UNCHANGED: Chief justice Willy Mutunga will earn the same salary as his predecessor Evan Gicheru. Photo/Charles Kimani

Chief Justice Willy Mutunga will not earn a higher salary than his predecessor. This comes after Treasury refused to approve a proposal sent to it by the Judicial Service Commission. The JSC had proposed a new salary for the CJ, his deputy and Supreme Court Judges. According to sources, the JSC proposed a salary of Sh1.5 million for the Chief Justice, Sh1.3 for deputy Chief Justice and Sh1.1 million for Supreme Court Judges.

Following the refusal by Treasury to approve the new salaries, the Chief Justice will take home between Sh399,440 which is starting salary for the position to a maximum of Sh916,500. This figures were put in place in 2009 when salary for constitutional office holders was revised following enactment of the Statute Law Act.

Under that law, the Attorney General and Chief Justice were to earn a starting salary of Sh399,440 to a maximum of Sh916,500, the chairman IIEC, PSC, Court of Appeal judges and the Controller and Auditor General between Sh292,765 and Sh576,120 while other commissioners were to get between Sh232,960 and Sh481,381. On top of the salary, Justice Mutunga draws a daily sitting allowance of Sh80,000 anytime the JSC holds a session.

The proposal for new high salary for the CJ and other top judges was prepared by the JSC after it was agreed at a meeting held between Teasury and the commission in June. The agreement was that a sub committee within the JSC should come up with proposal for the salaries for the CJ, his deputy and Supreme Court judges now that the remunerations committee which is tasked with the duty of setting salary is not yet in place.

However, when the proposal was sent to the Treasury the first time in July it was rejected. Instead, Treasury did its own proposal and asked the JSC to consider that. The JSC too on its part after meeting and deliberating over the issue rejected what treasury proposed and demanded that the treasury leaves up to their earlier agreement. According to sources the final response from treasury only came in early August saying that justice Mutunga be paid what his predecessor used to earn as the issue of salary increase awaits the appointment of remuneration committee.