CIC should be paid, says NGO council

By Edwin Cheserek

National Council of NGOs has petitioned the government to pay members of the Commission for Implementation of Constitution (CIC), their dues.

The NGO council said that the commissioners had not been paid for seven months yet they are executing a crucial mandate.

"The commission has a right to demand their salaries and allowances it negotiated with the government," said NGO council chairman, Ken Wafula.

He said CIC is a creation of Kenyan people and asked the commissioners to sue the government for breaching an agreed contract, and seek compensation for delays in the salaries.

Mr Wafula said it is not the work of Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Muthaura to decide how much the commissioners should get and when to be paid.

"The government ought to know that it is always unacceptable to change goal post at the middle of the game," he said.

The civil society, he said, will mount pressure on the Public Service Commission to reveal how much Muthaura earns to justify why he has an interest to look into the commissioners’ salaries.

Wafula pointed out that Kenyans are aware of conservative forces that want to scuttle the implementation of the laws and said they would rise up against them.

He said: "Let the government know that the civil society is watching keenly on anti-reformers."

He added that the commission ensures Bills are implemented to the letter and accused the government of creating unnecessary stalemate.

CIC, he argued, follows the spirit of the constitution and said there was no justified reason to withhold their salaries.

The move has angered the commissioners who are now threatening to stage a go-slow on the constitution implementation.

Treasury and PSC had struck a salary deal with CIC last year about the salaries of the commissioners, but last week Muthaura, reneged the agreement saying the proposed payments are too high for the government.