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The package gives each of the 222 MPs Sh9.3 million in send-off perks and Kenyans have united to protest the pay rise/FILE

Kenya

Selfish MPs anger Kenyans over Sh2.2b perks

The package gives each of the 222 MPs Sh9.3 million in send-off perks and Kenyans have united to protest the pay rise/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 6 – Kenyans expressed outrage Saturday afternoon after learning that Members of Parliament (MPs) secretly added a Sh2 billion severance pay to their already huge package on Thursday evening.

The package gives each of the 222 MPs Sh9.3 million in send-off perks and Kenyans have united to protest the pay rise, which comes at a time when Finance Minister Njeru Githae has proposed to increase taxes to raise the money required to meet public servants’ wage demands.

Christabel who works as a Personal Assistant said that it was unfair for MPs to raise their own salaries while Kenyans are still suffering.

“I think it’s unfair for them to be adding themselves salaries while people are still suffering,” she said.

“The other day we saw teachers, doctors and nurses on strike but it seems like no one cared, so I think they should channel this money towards adding salaries for the teachers and doctors,” she added.

The pay bonus will see the Treasury calculate the ‘severance allowance’ at 31 percent of MPs’ pay with perks such as house allowance, extraneous duty allowance, transport allowance, entertainment allowance, vehicle fixed cost allowance and constituency allowance included.

IT Specialist Tony Mutwiri described the MPs as thugs and demanded for their immediate resignation or sacking.

“These guys are just thugs and they should be sent home right way,” he emphasised.

“The money being used for their bonus should go to the striking workers instead of the MPs. The local mwananchi is actually suffering for no apparent reason,” he added.

The severance allowance will be calculated by multiplying it by 31 percent for the five years – amounting to Sh15 million – and when the figure is subjected to taxation at 30 percent, then each member is set to take home nearly Sh10 million.

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This is in addition to the Sh825 million approved in the Finance Act passed last month as gratuity payments for MPs, which brings the total wring out of public coffers in the last six months alone to more than Sh3 billion, far more than was being sought in pay to end the strike by public sector doctors.

Marketer Austin Omondi described the bonus as foolish and reprimanded the MPs for paying themselves before paying the striking workers.

“The other day we saw teachers, doctors and nurses on strike but it seems like no one cared, so I think they should channel this money towards adding salaries for the teachers and doctors,” she added.

“It’s uncalled for and unjustified because at this time, if you consider how the economy is, our MPs paying themselves another 9 million shillings just doesn’t make sense,” he said.

“There are teachers, doctors and so many other employees who need it and such money should be catered for such people. If they paid themselves after all the basic commodities are affordable then cool, but since they’re doing that and it’s still expensive, my opinion is that it’s just foolish,” he explained.

Marketer Peter Kariuki cautioned the MPs that their actions would not be forgotten by Kenyans when they went to vote during the forthcoming general elections.

“It’s so unfair because they are not considering the normal mwananchi so I think it’s better for every Kenyan to consider who they want in power when they’re voting,” he said.

“I’m sure Kenyans have now realized what the politicians are doing so I think they will vote wisely,” he added.

Kenyans on Twitter (KOT) have voiced their opinions on the micro-blogging site using the hash tag #KOTAgainstMPsBonus and controversial blogger Robert Alai has organised a demonstration on Tuesday at 10am from Bata Hilton to Parliament.

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