Pay us our dues, former civic leaders tell counties

Erick Abuga 04th Oct 2019 14:07:00 GMT +0300

Former councilors who served in the defunct local authorities in Kisii County have called on President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene and have them paid gratuity.

The retired Councilors said they have been living in misery and appealed to Kisii Governor James Ongwae to fast-track the processing of their gratuities.

The group chairman Casper Gichana said the former civic leaders played their role in building the country and should be considered for a send-off package.

“We will soon organize street protests should the Government continue ignoring our plight. We have attempted all means possible to get the attention of all Government agencies but they have all failed us,” said Gichana.

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He said the constitution provided gratuity for Members of County Assemblies, saying they should be included alongside other former State Officers who qualified for gratuity and pension scheme.

Gichana observed that majority of former civic leaders were poor, saying they needed the money to invest and lead descent lives, noting some had become paupers.

Their payments were reflected in the Councilors’ Pension Bill, 2014, that was passed by the county assembly and assented to by the governor. The county Act provides that former councilors be paid Sh1 million each as gratuity and a further Sh 30, 000 in monthly stipend.

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In 2015 the senate approved the petition to have former councilors to get a gratuity of Sh 18 billion and a monthly stipend of Sh 30, 000 in their retirement package.

The lawmakers supported a petition to give the 12,000 retirees the pay that would cost taxpayers a one-off payment of Sh18 billion and the monthly stipend.

The senators had noted that most of the former councillors were leading a miserable life despite their service to the people.

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