Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Clerk put on notice over MPs pay hike

MONDAY, JUNE 3, 2013 - 00:00 -- BY PETER NG'ETICH
NATIONAL Assembly Clerk Justin Bundi will be surcharged Sh111 million if he authorises MPs extra pay. The Salaries and Remuneration Commission which warned Bundi on Wednesday last week not to pay MPs any amount other than the gazetted Sh532,500 will be charged with abuse of office.
The motion to increase their salaries means MPs will each earn an extra Sh318,500. Senators, who are also demanding a pay hike through the Parliamentary Service Commission, have not specified the amount they want.
Senate Clerk Jeremiah Nyegenye will be charged with abuse of office and surcharged if he pays Senators more than the Sh532,000 recommended by SRC.
SRC chairman Sarah Serem yesterday said their decision is final since the constitution does not allow anybody to set his/her salary and Bundi will foot the extra money from his pocket.
"We are just following what the constitution states. It would be a very big let down to Kenyans if SRC members sit and watch MPs increase their salaries as though the law does not exist," she said. Serem said it is unfortunate that MPs have taken taken to attacking her personally.
"What we are doing as SRC is in the best interest of generations to come since our wage bill is too high in the sub-Saharan Africa," she said. Serem said Kenya's wage bill stands at 12 per cent while the international recommended one is six per cent.
"This ratio is high compared to an average of 6.5 per cent for sub-Saharan Africa countries and about 5.1 per cent for the East Asian Tiger countries whose economies are doing well due to an affordable wage bill," she said.

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