Salaries team seeks Sh762M for perks

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The Salaries and Remuneration Commission chairman Sarah Serem (centre) flanked by commission officials moments before addressing a news conference in Nairobi May 29, 2013. Photo/ALPHONCE SHIUNDU  

By CAROLINE WAFULA
Posted  Tuesday, June 4  2013 at  16:45

IN SUMMARY

• The Commission has been allocated Sh386.8 million in the financial estimates currently being scrutinised by Parliament.
• The money they seek is meant to cater for staff and commissioners’ local travel and accommodation allowances during official duty to counties on remuneration and benefits meetings, research and public forums.

The Salaries and Remuneration Commission has appealed to Parliament to push Treasury to give it more funds under the 2013/2014 financial year.

The commission is seeking an allocation of Sh762.2 million from Treasury.

However, the commission has been allocated Sh386.8 million in the financial estimates currently being scrutinised by Parliament.

It argues that that Treasury has underprovided for domestic travel and subsistence at Sh4.1 million and seeks an additional Sh6.1 million to manage planned schedules and activities.

The money is meant to cater for staff and commissioners’ local travel and accommodation allowances during official duty to counties on remuneration and benefits meetings, research and public forums.

A meeting scheduled between the Salaries team and a Parliamentary committee on Finance, Trade and Planning was called off on Tuesday morning after the chairperson and her deputy failed to turn up.

The committee, chaired by Ainamoi MP Mr Benjamin Langat, declined to have a meeting with representatives appearing for the commission demanding that chairperson Sarah Serem appears with her deputy.

In a written presentation to the committee, the commission says it has the ability to absorb the proposed allocation by Treasury of Sh375.4 million but insists that it is below the required budget of Sh762.8 million.

It argues that it does not have any external funding for any of its programmes and activities in the current financial year or the next.

The commission established to set and regularly review the remuneration and benefits of all state officers has been embroiled in a bitter wrangle with MPs over a salaries review it carried out early this year that affected their pay slips. (READ: MPs in fresh bid for higher pay)

The team has warned against any payments that goes against gazette notices issued with regard to the new salary structures for state officers, even after MPs went ahead to declare the action unconstitutional.

The presentation indicates that the commission is to employ 74 members of staff in the new financial year and estimates this will cost Sh185 million. It also seeks Sh15 million for foreign travel and subsistence.

The amount shall cater for among others, planned three visits overseas to learn from best practices on policy and legislative framework on remuneration and benefits, pensions management and integrated remuneration system.

According to the submission to Parliament, the amount will also fund staff and commissioners scheduled to attend the African Association of Public Administration and Management and Commonwealth Association of Public Administration and Management workshops in Africa.

“What staff and commissioners learn in these visits is used to inform and enrich policies and recommendations on remuneration and benefits,” it says.

The commission's chairperson is expected to appear before the committee on Tuesday evening with her team to present their budget in line with the directive issued by the Parliamentary committee chairman.