BY PETER OPIYO

MPs have set in motion a plan to have their salaries, which were recently slashed to slightly over Sh500, 000, increased.

On Wednesday, the Parliamentary Service Commission said it is in talks with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to discuss MPs’ disquiet over their new pay.

PSC Chairman and National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi said the talks are ongoing, but declined to say what stage they are in. “It is not proper to discuss in public matters between us and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission,” said Mr Muturi.

The commission reduced the pay of an MP from Sh851, 000 to Sh532, 500. The review, which targeted hefty salaries of top State officials, is intended to manage the runaway wage bill. According to SRC, half of the country’s revenue is used to pay public servants, a situation it warned is not sustainable.

In justifying the pay cut, the commission argued that the public sector wage bill has almost doubled from Sh241 billion in 2008 to Sh458 billion in 2012.

The new salaries structures gazetted by the salaries team were informed by public recommendations.

“The public wage bill is currently in excess of 50 per cent of the total domestic revenue. This is way above the international best practice of not more than 35 per cent recommended for countries in Sub-Saharan Africa,” SRC earlier said in a press notice.

Salaries body

But some of the MPs, who were sworn-in last Thursday, have rejected the new pay, terming it demeaning and inadequate to sustain their lifestyles.

Initially, the aggrieved legislators had threatened to disband the salaries body and give its functions to another organ.

But that proved a tall order given that such drastic action would require the approval of Kenyans through a referendum.

The legislators have also toyed with the idea of revoking the SRC notice setting new salaries. They argue the notice is a subsidiary legislation, which can be overturned, but lawyers have warned that such a move would be illegal.

The only recourse, the salaries body has advised, is to petition them to review the salaries, but that request must be justified.

On Wednesday, the PSC, a potent committee that handles the welfare of the MPs and parliamentary staff, signaled it had taken this route.

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

The Speaker spoke after being sworn-in as the Chairman of the PSC. Clerk of the Senate Jeremiah Nyegenye was also sworn-in as the secretary during a ceremony in Committee Room 9, at Parliament Buildings.

The reviewed pay structure by the SRC would see the MPs earn a minimum pay of Sh532, 500 per month, which increases by Sh44, 375 every year for four years taking the maximum pay to Sh710, 000 per month.

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 Agwenyi has expressed interest in the seat.

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 get Sh792, 000 increasing up to a maximum of Sh1 million.

At the same time Deputy President of the Chinese Congress People’s Party Zhang Baowen met Muturi and disclosed he would attend next week’s swearing-in of President-elect Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto.Mr Baowen said his country values the bilateral friendly relations between Kenya and China. The Speaker thanked China for being among the first to recognise the new government.

Muturi hailed the Chinese Government for its continued support for infrastructural development. 

He said co-operation between the two countries had enabled leaders to learn from China’s experience, and this could help in organisation of local political parties through infusing new progressive ideas.

The Speaker asked the ambassador to consider extending the co-operation to members of staff of Parliament through exchange programmes and scholarships. The ambassador responded by awarding one scholarship immediately to the institution.