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National Taxpayers Association has called for the suspension of the Sh250,000 monthly allowance pay to Kenyan MPs and speedy determination of a court case for the same to avoid potential loss of public funds in the event the courts rule against their plea.
The National Taxpayers Association had slammed a ruling from the high court that quashed the Gazette notice 6518 circulated by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission to cap the salaries and allowances of members of parliament, members of county assemblies and other state officers. This they say will result in ballooning wage bill and increase the tax burden to already over taxed Kenyans.
NTA officer Francisah Marabu while addressing journalists in Nairobi the glutinous move by legislators would strain Kenyan tax payers that are already struggling to put descent food on their table as the economic conditions continue to tighten.
“Where do you expect 83.6 per cent in the informal sector to receive services from when a significant amount of their tax goes to cushion state and public officers?” he wondered.
The Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) had in 2017 sued the Salaries and Remuneration Commission arguing that its formula to pay the MPs was not procedural, but following such requests by MPs, the lawmakers successfully managed to secure the payments of Sh250, 000 per month house allowance each, backdated to August 2018.
This move irked majority of Kenyan workers and prompting public outcry.
It is estimated that the total wage bill compensation for all the MPs stands at Sh1, 075,000 per month less the house allowance. It is Sh1, 325,000 per month after the house allowance is factored in, while the monthly wage bill of MPs will increase by Sh104.5 million and Sh1.254 billion per year after Sh250, 000 house allowance is considered.