Treasury made the disclosure in the budget estimate that for the first time factored in Mr Awori’s retirement package in its budget.
Mr Awori also joined a small club that includes former presidents Daniel arap Moi and Mwai Kibaki who take home more than Sh1 million monthly.
He will receive a saloon car and a four-wheel drive vehicle, both of which will come with drivers and fuel allowance equivalent to 15 per cent of the monthly pay of the serving Deputy President.
Taxpayers will spend Sh149.2 million for staff and the office of former Vice-President Moody Awori in the financial year ending June after he was included in the list of former State officers receiving lavish retirement benefits.
Treasury made the disclosure in the budget estimate that for the first time factored in Mr Awori’s retirement package in its budget for financial year starting July in line with the changes made to the Deputy President and Designated State Officers Act.
Mr Awori served as President Mwai Kibaki’s second Vice President between September 2003 and December 2007, but was not part of the former State office receiving over-the-top retirement benefits.
The budget estimates show that taxpayers used Sh79.3 million for Mr Awori and his staff office rent, insurance costs (Sh25 million), staff wages (Sh20.4 million), purchase of cars (Sh11.2 million) and Sh4 million for furniture.
Mr Awori also joined a small club that includes former presidents Daniel arap Moi and Mwai Kibaki who take home more than Sh1 million monthly.
According to the Act, Mr Awori’s golden handshake will include a hefty monthly pension equivalent to 80 per cent of his last salary, a lumpsum of five times his last pay, security, medical insurance and diplomatic passport for himself and spouse.
He will receive a saloon car and a four-wheel drive vehicle, both of which will come with drivers and fuel allowance equivalent to 15 per cent of the monthly pay of the serving Deputy President.
The vehicles will be replaced after every four years.
Taxpayers will also cater for maintenance of the vehicles at dealerships besides offering Mr Awori one personal assistant, one secretary, one accountant, two housekeepers, two senior support staff, two gardeners, armed security and two cleaners.
The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) in 2013 put Mr Awori’s gross pay including perks at Sh1.93 million.
Retirement benefits of former presidents have come under sharp criticism, especially in the last couple of years when allocations were increased by large margins even as the State insisted it had put in place austerity measures.
Mr Moi and Mr Kibaki will in the current year ending June earn Sh116.6 million annual pension, which will be cut to Sh96.5 million in the new year.
If awarded equally, their package for the current year assures each retired president of a monthly payout of Sh4.65 million — an amount that is higher than three times President Uhuru Kenyatta’s official salary of Sh1.2 million.
It also put the benefits of the two at par with the salary and benefits of top chief executives of financial and telecom companies listed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange.
The package has also come under heavy criticism on grounds that the retired presidents left office as rich men with property worth billions of shillings and vast business interests.
