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SRC gives governors 3 more years to claim house allowances

LYN

SRC chairperson Lyn Mengich gestures during a press briefing on May 15, 2019. PHOTO | FRANCIS NDERITU | NMG

The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has extended by three years the period during which governors, deputy governors and county assembly speakers will continue to enjoy housing perks of up to Sh200,000 after counties failed to build official residences for them.

SCR chairperson Lyn Mengich said that only four counties will meet the June deadline to build homes for the officials, prompting the extension to 2022.

A majority of the counties that are yet to build the residences cite lack of funds.

The SRC had in 2015 directed counties to build residences for the governors and their deputies and county assembly speakers by June 30 after which the house allowances would be withdrawn.

Under the SRC guidelines of 2017, the Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu governors get Sh200,000 every month as house allowances while their colleagues in the other counties get Sh100,000.

Deputy governors in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu get Sh185,000 while their colleagues in the other counties get Sh90,000.

“There are three that have already complied with the directive. The other governors told us they did not have funds available and also faced challenges in getting the land, so we agreed on a one-year extension,” Mrs Mengich said on Friday.

Homa Bay and Kajiado have completed residences for the governors and their deputies while Kilifi and Isiolo have built the governor’s and deputy governor’s houses.

County assembly speakers in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu get Sh150, 000 in monthly rent allowances while their counterparts in the other counties get Sh75,000.

Mosts counties, like Nyeri, have been forced to buy land for the houses while Embu said that the land for the residences was grabbed.

The Treasury is currently spending Sh5 million in monthly rent for the governors, Sh4.51million for deputies and 3.75 million for the speakers, increasing the burden on taxpayers, who also pay the officials other perks like transport and entertainment allowances.

Most of the counties have allocated between Sh100 million and Sh250 million for the homes despite the Senate having capped the cost of a governor’s official house at Sh45 million.

Vihiga, for instance, has allocated Sh103 million for the construction of the governor’s house and Sh55 million for the residence of his deputy, a budget that the Auditor-General said is over-priced.

Kilifi spent Sh140 million to build the residence for Governor Amason Kingi in 2014, raising concerns about the lavish spending on houses for the county chiefs at the expense of development projects.