Members of Parliament yesterday laughed off threats by the salaries commission to recover Sh830 million paid to them in backdated house allowances. The MPs are emboldened by the fact that they have had their way on their welfare since 2013.

Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) chairperson Lyn Mengich on Wednesday vowed to surcharge each MP the backdated Sh250,000 monthly house allowance, which she termed illegal.

But yesterday, the MPs were unapologetic they would continue drawing the contested allowance as they resorted to intimidation and blackmail they have deployed in the past to protect their perks.

The legislators’ confidence may be borne out of their past duels with the salary body, where they have always emerged winners despite tough talks from the commission, which lost its first attempt in 2013 to reduce their hefty pay.