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SRC insists new pay structure final

Commission for Revenue Allocation chairman Micah Cheserem photo:courtesy

A former Commission on Revenue Allocation chairman has expressed reservations over the new pay structure for State officers.

Micah Cheserem recommended that the grading be entrenched in the Constitution to ensure nobody, including Parliament, tampers with it.

Mr Cheserem warned that unless the process setting the pay structure was entrenched in the Constitution, MPs were capable of altering it.

“We welcome the move by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to set new pay grading for State officers. However, it is not enough to set the new pay but rather, ensure it is not tampered with even by Parliament,” said Cheserem.

According to the new guidelines, senators and Members of Parliament will now be awarded a maximum of Sh738,833 a month irrespective of the maximum number of kilometres they travel.

This maximum will be for a distance above 1,500kms.

Members of County Assemblies were not spared either.

They will now be entitled to a maximum monthly transport allowance of Sh147, 550 for a distance above 400kms.

President Uhuru Kenyatta backed SRC’s move, saying the scrapping of allowances would ensure prudent use of public resources.

The President, whose pay was reduced from Sh1,650,000 to Sh1,443,750, also called on Kenyans to support and co-operate with the commission as it seeks to save Kenya over Sh8 billion a year.

STRONG ECONOMY

The President said over the past few years, his administration had worked to build a foundation for a strong economy that would guarantee job creation for the youth and contain the cost of living to a level acceptable to all Kenyans.

He said SRC had done a good job of reducing sitting allowances but was worried that the good efforts would be a waste should Parliament decide to alter them.

However, SRC insisted the decision to set the pay was final.

While releasing the new pay structure on Monday, SRC Chairperson Sarah Serem insisted their mandate was enshrined in the Constitution.

At the same time, Governor Alfred Mutua has hailed the move by the SRC.

Dr Mutua said the move would cut by a huge margin the country’s wage bill and ensure more money is channelled to development.

The governor said State officers must be selfless and should not be driven to office by the urge to earn outrageous salaries and allowances.

 

MOVE LONG OVERDUE

“That’s why I support Serem in slashing the salaries of the country’s top earners including politicians,” said Dr Mutua.

The Maendeleo Chap Chap party leader spoke at Kyeleni, Kituluni, Kayatta, Ndonyo Sabuk and Kwa Mwaura towns in Matungulu constituency yesterday.

Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri welcomed the scrapping of some of the allowances given to the politicians, terming the move “long overdue.”

According to Mr Ngunjiri, mileage allowances for MPs had over time been misused by the lawmakers.

“Most of the lawmakers especially from the Opposition spend most of their time in political rallies away from Nairobi but make claims in Parliament pretending that they have been to their areas of representation,” said Mr Ngunjiri.

Nakuru Town West MP Samuel Arama said he supported the move despite the huge challenge it would cause to leaders.