PSC discusses MPs salary

By Peter Opiyo

NAIROBI, KENYA: The Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) is in talks with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to discuss MPs’ disquiet over the proposed new pay scheme for the legislators.

Chairman of the Committee and National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi said the talks are on-going but declined to discuss the progress made so far.

“It is not to discuss in public matters between us and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission,” said Mr Muturi.

He was speaking after being sworn in as the Chairman of the Commission. Clerk of the Senate Mr Jeremiah Nyegenye was also sworn in as the Secretary of the Commission in a ceremony that took place in Committee room 9 at Parliament buildings.

PSC is a potent Committee that handles the welfare of the MPs and parliamentary staff and is charged with recruitment of staff.

The Salaries and Remuneration Commission reduced the MPs pay to Sh532,500 from Sh851,000 drawing fury from the legislators. Some of them have even threatened to disband the Commission, but this is a tall order given it can only be done through a referendum.

Even though some MPs have aired their views about the pay, Muturi said PSC would only work within the confines of the law to address the matter.

Last week former Speaker Kenneth Marende, Eldas MP Adan Keynan and Kitutu Chache North Constituency Jimmy Agwenyi met the Commission to discuss the new pay structure. Keynan is the outgoing Vice Chairman of the Committee while Mr Agwenyi has expressed interest in the seat.

The reviewed pay structure by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission would see the MPs enter the remuneration structure at the minimum pay of Sh532,500 per month however it increases by Sh44,375 every year for four years to bring the maximum pay at Sh710,000 per month.

According to the proposed structure Speakers of the Senate and the National Assembly would earn a minimum of Sh990,000 per month increasing to a maximum of Sh1.32 million, while their deputies would enter the new structure at Sh792,000 increasing up to a maximum of Sh1 million.