Omtatah sues over plot to raise MPs’ perks

By Isaiah Lucheli and Ally Jamah

Nairobi,Kenya:Commission has relaxed its tough stance over the legislators salaries raising eyebrows

A civil rights activist has moved to court seeking to block MPs from having their salaries increased.

Okiya Omtatah wants the court to issue a declaration that the legislators do not have power or legal capacity to determine their salaries, allowances, and other benefits.

The activist also wants the court to declare that the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) did not violate any law or any principles when setting the salaries of members of the Eleventh Parliament.

Through lawyer Ishmael Kuring’a under a certificate of urgency, noted that there was a raging public debate on new salaries and benefits for MPs which were gazetted by the SRC.

BASIC SALARY

“The Sh532,500 a month basic salary, gazetted by the SRC, which does not include other benefits and perks that MPs enjoy, rivals the pay of MPs in developed countries,” submitted the lawyer.

He added: “The salary is more than MPs deserve to earn in a very poor country like Kenya, which is ranked 152 poorest out of 177 countries, with close to 50 per cent of its population living below the poverty line”.

Omtata argued that none of the MPs was being compelled to serve in that capacity and they are at liberty to vacate office and create room for more patriotic Kenyans if they were dissatisfied with the salaries and allowances as set by SRC.

Meanwhile, SRC is facing the risk of being taken to court for relaxing its original decision to rationalise salaries and benefits of MPs with those of taxpayers.The commission last week appeared to beat a retreat from its tough stand to reduce MPs salaries and stop each legislator from pocketing a non-refundable grant to buy a car.

The SRC originally decided that MPs would get a Sh7 million car loan repayable at three per cent interest.

But last week it emerged that SRC chairman Sarah Serem had written to the National Assembly Speaker to inform MPs that it had changed some of its decisions.

Lawyer Ashford Miriuki, who previously took Kenya Revenue Commission to court for not collecting taxes from MPs, the Prime Minister and the Vice President; is planning to file the suit if SRC makes official its new position on free money to buy cars for MPs.