Kenyans infuriated by MPs hefty package

Written By:Samson Kitavi,    Posted: Sun, Oct 07, 2012

Bitter Kenyans have said parliament has been turned into money minting venture Kenyans have reacted angrily to the move by MPs to secretly award themselves hefty sendoff package terming it a shameless and selfish move. Kenyans who spoke to Channel One on Sunday said the over 2 billion shillings send off package the legislators gave themselves would have gone to a better use such as investing in either health or education sectors in the country. The Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution CIC termed the changes introduced in the Finance Act by parliament increasing their allowances as unlawful and unconstitutional. CIC chair Charles Nyachae said the changes are a direct conflict with the constitutional mandate of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission. He said if the president assents to the Bill to law, CIC will challenge the provision in a court of law. Meanwhile,  Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua has asked President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to reject MPs bid to raise their severance perks. Karua said the President should not assent to the Finance Bill 2012, which has a clause that grants each of the lawmakers 9.3 million shillings send-off at the end of their term. She stated that the constitution does not allow MPs to give themselves an increment in their salary, allowances or other incentives, which she says is a role of the Salary and Remuneration Commission. She called on the citizenry to elect leaders who will implement the constitution for the good of Kenyans. And speaking in Kisii Former Trade Assistant Minister Omingo Magara vowed to challenge the move in court if the president assents to the finance Bill.  Speaking in Kitutu Chache, Kisii county the outspoken former legislator claimed that  the  move by the MPs to share  among themselves the over sh. 2billion was  immoral and underrated the intelligence of Kenyans. The MPs sneaked a change into the Finance Act that gave them the hefty farewell payments.