The money will benefit hundreds of subordinate staff including bodyguards, drivers, office secretaries, county and constituency offices workers and watchmen.
MPs will walk away with Sh6.7 million each at the end of their term, drawing from the Sh2.8 billion that the Treasury has allocated for gratuity.
Salaries of staff employed by MPs are met by taxpayers through a constituency staffing scheme mooted in 2005.
Taxpayers will fork out another Sh2.7 billion to pay gratuity for personal drivers, bodyguards and staff working for MPs and senators ahead of the August 8 General Election.
Workers attached to the 350 MPs will share out Sh2.3 billion in gratuity payments while those working for the 68 senators have been allocated Sh410 million, according to reports tabled in Parliament on Thursday.
The money will benefit hundreds of subordinate staff including bodyguards, drivers, office secretaries, county and constituency offices workers and watchmen.
“The (money) shall be used to cater for the one-off expenditure in the 12th Parliament,” said an advisory from the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC).
The PSC wants the Treasury to increase the House budget for the year starting July to Sh45.7 billion from the set Sh36 billion to cater for additional expenses including car grants for new MPs and a send-off package for sitting legislators.
MPs will walk away with Sh6.7 million each at the end of their term, drawing from the Sh2.8 billion that the Treasury has allocated for gratuity.
HIGH COMPEBSATION
The terms of service for the staff attached to MPs either at their Nairobi, county or constituency offices are tied to the tenure of lawmakers that ends on August 7.
Salaries of staff employed by MPs are met by taxpayers through a constituency staffing scheme mooted in 2005, adding to their comfort given their position among the best paid legislators in Africa. The scheme provides for taxpayers to pay salaries of personal assistants, office managers, secretaries and assistants as well as allowances for police officers attached to legislators.
MPs are entitled to a tax-free car grant, mileage allowance, pension and unlimited committee sessions.
Though each of the 416 MPs and senators earns a basic monthly salary of slightly above Sh550,500, the allowances push their take-home to more than Sh1 million. Politicians argue that they deserve the high compensation because constituents expect them to provide charitable support.
Drivers and bodyguards attached to MPs went on a go-slow in 2015 demanding improved welfare, including having defined job descriptions, to avoid being misused by their bosses.
They complained to their employer, PSC, that they were overworked but paid a paltry Sh19,000 per month. They demanded that their salaries be increased to Sh50,000. The PSC increased their pay slightly in the subsequent budget.
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Note: The results are not exact but very close to the actual.
