Uhuru faces rebellion in House over salary increase
President Uhuru Kenyatta making his speech during Labour Day celebration at Nairobi’s Uhuru Park on May 1, 2013. He faces rebellion in Parliament over salary increase. Photo/BILLY MUTAI
What you need to know:
MPs have persisted in their pursuit for higher salaries despite Mr Kenyatta’s insistence that they accept the Sh542,000 set by the SRC.
They are Thursday expected to pass a vote revoking a gazette notice that fixed their salaries at Sh542,500, effectively paving the way for each of the 418 members to earn Sh850,000 monthly.
President Uhuru Kenyatta is facing the biggest political test to his leadership as Members of Parliament, including those from his party, defy his directive in their quest for higher pay.
Members of Parliament have persisted in their pursuit for higher salaries despite Mr Kenyatta’s insistence that they accept the Sh542,000 set by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) until the economy improves to justify an increment.
The President’s resolve to reduce the public wage bill against a parliament that is united for higher pay, sets the stage for a rebellion in the Legislature very early in his tenure, which if not resolved could derail the government’s economic agenda.
Members of Parliament are Thursday afternoon expected to defy Mr Kenyatta and pass a vote revoking a gazette notice that fixed their salaries at Sh542,500, effectively paving the way for each of the 418 members to earn Sh850,000 monthly.
The committee on Delegated Legislation appointed a five member sub-committee to fine tune the draft report on the March 1 Kenya Gazette notice that also capped the number of committee sittings at four per week and allowances payable for each member.
“We will meet again and make a statement. There is nothing useful so far. We were laying the ground rules. As I said on Tuesday, it is not about Sarah Serem, but the rule of law,” said committee chairman William Cheptumo after a closed door meeting that lasted 30 minutes.
The Committee on Delegated Legislation is charged with scrutinising legislation that is inconsistent with existing laws and the Constitution for action by the House.
On Wednesday, members of the committee left behind the sub-committee headed by Mukurweini MP Kabando wa Kabando to clean up the draft report.
All members of the committee were to meet again last evening to go through and endorse the report for tabling in the House on Thursday afternoon.
The 349 Members of Parliament and 67 Senators have not been paid since they took the oath of office on March 28, protesting against the reduction of their pay compared to what members of the 10th Parliament earned.
Parliament has been helping MPs meet their financial obligations through salary advances, mileage claims and sitting allowances as they battle the Sarah Serem-led SRC for increased pay.
On Tuesday Mr Cheptumo said MPs would look at the legality or otherwise of the SRC’s gazette notice and “file its report for adoption or rejection” by the House.
Mr Cheptumo, argued that the mandate of his team under Standing Order 210, is to among other issues, ascertain whether the statutory instrument published by SRC “is within the provision of the Constitution or is inconsistent with any other written law.”
Leader of Majority Party Aden Duale drew the line for President Kenyatta, insisting that MPs would vote on the report of the committee without external influence “because the Executive does not speak for Parliament.”
“The President speaks for the Executive and not Parliament. He has not given me the mandate to rally MPs against the proposals to reinstate the salaries earned by the former Parliament,” he said.
“My position will be that of the Parliamentary Service Commission, that of the Committee on Delegated Legislation and the position taken by the 349 MPs,” he said.
Mr Duale’s position that the President has not asked him to rally the MPs against the quest for salary increment could also be interpreted to mean Mr Kenyatta’s statements against higher pay for MPs is a mere public relations exercise.
“The President is within his right to speak to Kenyans. I speak for MPs in the Majority Party and when he asks me to call on them not to demand a pay increase, I will advise them,” Mr Duale said.
MPs have warned that they will cripple activities of SRC through a petition filed by Igembe South MP Mithika Linturi, seeking the removal of commissioners on grounds of “gross violation of the Constitution and gross misconduct” in reviewing members’ salaries downwards.
