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MCAs get 50 percent pay hike, but reject it

But a section of the MCAs allied to the Chairman of the County Assemblies Forum Abdi Nuh have since turned down the increase saying they were not consulted/FILE

But a section of the MCAs allied to the Chairman of the County Assemblies Forum Abdi Nuh have since turned down the increase saying they were not consulted/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 28 – The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has once again revised the salaries of the Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) pegging their basic pay at Sh123,750 per month up from the gazetted Sh79,200.

In the new structure, they will also get a sitting allowance of Sh124,800, a mileage/commuter allowance pegged at Sh39,528 and airtime worth Sh5,000 per month bringing their monthly take home to Sh293,078.

SRC Chairperson Sarah Serem explained that the salary review comes after the Commission conducted a job reevaluation exercise which found them deserving of a pay hike.

However, the increase will not be immediate and will have to wait until the next financial year starting July 2014 because it had not been factored in the current budget.

“MCAs whose areas of representation are beyond the 90-kilometer return journey shall claim for reimbursement for the extra kilometer once in a week based on applicable AA rates,” she said on Thursday.

But a section of the MCAs allied to the Chairman of the County Assemblies Forum Abdi Nuh have since turned down the increase saying they were not consulted.

“We are not ready to embrace these new figures that were announced here. What we have here is horrible. There was no evaluation for our jobs and the Senate committee has not helped at all,” said Nuh.
Moreover the MCAs have been divided in their approach with one group being led by Nuh and the other by Nairobi Speaker Alex ole Magelo.
The Nuh group accused Serem and her Commission of ignoring them and taking into account the views of Magelo’s group maintaining that the salaries’ row will continue.

Serem however argued that the MCAs did not have an umbrella body and it would difficult for them to meet individual MCAs over their salary woes.

The MCAs are also set to get mortgage and car loan facilities valued at Sh3 million and Sh2 million respectively once in their five year term.

Speakers, Deputy Speakers, Leaders of Majority and their Deputies as well as the Chief Whips and their Deputies, Leaders of Minority and their Deputies, Minority Whips, Committee Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons in all the County Assemblies will also get an increase.

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A Speaker will for instance pocket Sh480,500 per month up from Sh225,000.

In the new structures, each Speaker’s basic pay is Sh262,500 but they will enjoy numerous allowances bringing to total their take home to Sh480,500.

Serem noted that this increase would significantly increase the current wage bill adding that there are 1,450 ward representatives and 47 County Assemblies.

“The financial impact of the changes in the remuneration is 55.3 percent from the previous budget of Sh2.185 billion per annum to Sh3.395 billion per annum,” she observed.

According to a statement sent from the SRC, the facilitative allowances have changed by 39.7 percent from the previous budget of Sh3.6 billion per annum to Sh5.04 billion per annum.

“Overall change is 45.6 percent which is Sh2.64 billion per annum. On average, this translates to approximately Sh55 million per County per annum and Sh4.6 million per month per county,” argued the Commission.

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