Salaries team not afraid of MPs’ threats, says Serem

By Moses Njagih

Nairobi, Kenya: The Salaries and Remuneration Commission has told MPs that it will not succumb to their intimidation and threats even as it offered to negotiate over pay cuts.

The commission Monday said it was ready to dialogue with the legislators to resolve the pay dispute, which has now cascaded to the county ward representatives, but insisted that such talks must be held soberly and through the right channels.

But the Sarah Serem-led commission maintained that the pay demands by the legislators couldn’t be met as it would overstretch the wage bill.

This appeared as a caution to MPs that even if the commission cedes ground and increases their pay, it would not be to their demands of taking home a similar amount to what members of the tenth Parliament were earning.

After maintaining a studious silence as legislators, buoyed by support from other quarters, notably the Central Organisation of Trade Union boss Francis Atwoli bayed for her blood and threw epithets at her, a bold Serem came out defending herself and the commission against the bashing.

Wage bill

Reacting to threats by the National Assembly to replace the entire membership of the commission, a process that has already been initiated in Parliament by Igembe South MP Mithika Linturi, Serem said her body would not fall for intimidation and threats.

“We have our mandate well spelt out in the Constitution and we will not stop doing what we are allowed to do to listen to these intimidations. That is not part of our mandate,” said Serem Monday when the commission issued a statement on the remuneration and benefits of State officers.

“Sending us home is not our concern. Our concern is the economy of this country and the sustainability of the wage bill,” she added.

Former MP Oloo Aringo, who sits in the salaries commission representing the Parliamentary Service Commission, dismissed claims by legislators that they were not consulted in setting of the salaries.

But it is not yet clear how Serem will stamp her authority on the legislators’ pay given that they still can factor more money for themselves through their parliamentary budget.

It is this loophole that legislators can easily exploit and budget for more funds for their perks, even as Serem insists that only her commission is constitutionally allowed to set any pay levels.