President Kenyatta rejects Kenya MPs' push for higher pay
Thursday August 24 2017
Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta. He has said he would not sign any Bill passed by MPs raising the lawmakers’ pay and allowances. PHOTO FILE | SIMON MAINA | AFP
Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has vowed not to support MPs’ move to raise their salaries if the Supreme Court validates his election.
Mr Kenyatta on Thursday said he would not sign any Bill passed by MPs raising the lawmakers’ pay and allowances.
“We're not on the same page... I’ll not endorse any increase even if they want to hate me,” Mr Kenyatta said when he met heads of Catholic schools at Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi.
“When they were contesting for the seats, they knew the salaries so they cannot turn around even before they are sworn in and start complaining.”
Wage bill
The president was reacting to a plan by MPs to reject the new salary structure by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission that seeks to reduce the public wage bill.
The MPs are set to be sworn in next Thursday, but some have already expressed their displeasure with cuts in their pay and allowances.
The protesting MPs have indicated that they may seek to quash the SRC gazette notice reducing their pay.
Highly paid
But Mr Kenyatta said he would not sign such a Bill, terming the move as "shameful".
“They can take it or leave it,” he said. “Leadership is about serving people, not enriching ourselves.”
Kenyan legislators rank among the most highly paid the world over.