MPS AT IT AGAIN

CLIP
Kenya MPs have unanimously passed the report raising their salaries from Sh851,000 to Sh1.1 million after a short debate Wednesday.

At 5.16pm, Mr Luka Kigen (Rongai, ODM) rose to block any other MP –none had sought to catch the Speaker’s eye anyway—from contributing and instead asked temporary deputy Speaker Gitobu Imanyara to allow the mover of the motion, Mr Walter Nyambati (Kitutu Masaba, NLP), to put an end to the debate.

Mr Nyambati duly obliged, Mr Imanyara put the matter to a verbal vote and the 40MPs in the House excitedly shouted their unanimous ‘aye’.

MPs John Mbadi (Gwassi, ODM) and Simon Mbugua (Kamukunji, PNU) intimated to their colleagues to conclude their contributions quickly.

Endorse Bills

Treasury now will have to look for money to foot the increased monthly bill for the honourable members. And within seven days, MPs are ready to endorse three Bills to ensure they get their money.

The lawmakers have no apologies for the huge perks that they approved Wednesday, because from those who spoke during the debate, "there’s no adequate remuneration for MPs".

Mr Nyambati, the Parliamentary Service Commission vice chairman, set the tone for the adoption of the report.

“Human nature is that employers want to pay less to their employees; while the employees want more to justify the work done. We need to balance these two,” he said. “It will be unjust to reduce the remuneration of MPs half-way through their (five-year) contract.”

The joint whip, Mr Jakoyo Midiwo (Gem, ODM) seconded the motion and blamed liars for spreading rumours and giving the public a “wrong impression of their leaders".

He then backed the retirement package for the Prime Minister, the Vice President and the Speaker: “We can’t afford to have (retired) public servants beg, after serving this country.”

“The retired vice presidents are living on goodwill. Let’s recognise that if Kalonzo Musyoka retires today, he’ll have no retirement package.”

Dr Boni Khalwale (Ikolomani, New Ford Kenya) termed the pay rise as “a move towards restoring honour to the profession of politics".

He thanked the tribunal for exempting some of the allowances from taxation and proposed that the amount could have been more.

“This Sh95,000 (for car allowance) is nothing compared to what is required to replace the entire suspension system of your car if you go home every week,” said Dr Khalwale

He asked two MPs –Johnstone Muthama (Kang’undo, ODM-K) and Peter Kenneth (Gatanga, PNU)—to legitimately join Parliament in remitting their taxes to the Kenya Revenue Authority. The two MPs began paying tax due to public pressure to have the lawmakers’ perks taxed.

Heavy responsibility

Mr Martin Ogindo (Rangwe, ODM), Mr Abdul Bahari (Isiolo South, Kanu) and assistant minister Aden Duale supported the perks saying MPs “did a lot of work".

“In my view, the amount of money you pay an MP cannot compensate for the heavy responsibility that they shoulder in economic, political and social development of this country,” said Mr Duale.

“Nowhere in this world has public opinion been used to reduce the salary of a person.”

The assistant minister added: “Who said an MPs’ responsibility is to bury people. If you feel MPs are being paid heftily, join Parliament. (And if you are in Parliament) if you feel you have enough, give a chance to your colleagues.”

And now that they are paying tax, the MPs want churches, trade unions and the civil society to also declare their income and pay tax.

But it was assistant minister Katoo ole Metito who spoiled what appeared a smooth-sailing party for the Parliamentary Service Commission to see the report adopted.

Mr Metito charged that the salary structure was skewed to favour the commissioners and members of the Speakers’ panel, that the disparity in basic pay between the MPs and ministers was illogical and that having a cap of Sh30,000 on daily sitting allowance was wrong.

He said the amount should be capped at Sh20,000; that is a maximum of two sittings per day

According to some of the MPs and parliamentary staff, who spoke to the Nation off-the-record, the thinking is that the new salaries should come into force before the referendum.

They argue that if the proposed law is enacted, they’d not be able to raise the salaries because it will be unconstitutional. The new Constitution proposes an independent Salaries and Remuneration Commission to set salaries of all 'State officers', among them MPs.

Exempt from tax

Also, in the proposed constitution, no law shall be made exempting any public official from paying tax.

The lawmakers want to take advantage of the five-year implementation period, should the new Constitution pass, to ensure they keep on earning Sh1.1 million per month even when the commission sets the salaries.

Should the new Constitution be endorsed in the referendum, the estimated bill for the anticipated 415 MPs will be at least Sh500 million (excluding the Sh30,000 daily sitting allowance per MP and mileage claims).

Those who spoke to the Nation said it was unlikely that the commission will cut down the current perks, if adopted by Parliament, because such a move will be illegal. They argued that no one can reduce the income of an employee in a review unless the law is amended to allow that –but they are the same ones to amend the laws.

The taxation of their perks is another incentive that made them hurry the report to the august House.

The timing is also aimed at arm-twisting the Treasury to accede to the new payment terms, because if the Finance minister refuses, the MPs will not approve the remaining amount of the Budget. They have already approved the first half of the Budget as required by law.