MCAs vow to cripple county functions if their salaries are not increased
3 min read
MCAs vow to cripple county functions by shooting down budgets if their salaries are not increased
MCAs vow to cripple county functions by shooting down budgets if their salaries are not increased.
Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) have threatened to shoot down budgets in their respective devolved units if they do not get a salary increment.
At the same time, the ward representatives ejected Devolution Principal Secretary Teresia Mbaika from yesterday’s inaugural National MCAs Consultative Forum in Nairobi, claiming that only President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua could address their concerns.
“We are not technocrats. We want politicians to listen to their fellow politicians. We want the Deputy President. The President said it is bottom-up and we are at the bottom. The bottom is meeting. Can we now have the top representative come,” said Naivasha East MCA, Stanely Karanja.
The MCAs said that what they earn is far below what they are entitled to as waheshimiwa (honourable) to take home.
“MCAs have been given power…We have the power to approve budgets and equally to reject budgets. There’s no purpose of power if you can’t utilize it. You have power and you are being mistreated, does that make sense?” Posed Mochongoi Ward MCA Kipruto Kimosop.
MCAs currently earn a gross salary of Sh144,376 which includes a basic salary of Sh86,625, a house allowance of Sh45,000, and a salary market adjustment of Sh12,750.
However, they argued that salary adjustments to the office have been scaled downwards from 2013 leaving MCAs unable to meet some of the demands of their constituents.
“In 2013 when the first MCAs took office, the basic salary was Sh123,750 and after five years it rose to Sh165,000.
In 2022, the basic salary for an MCA was reduced to 86,625,” said Naivasha East MCA, Stanely Karanja.
IMF Boss praises Ruto for Kenya’s economic trajectory
China gives Kenya the smallest loan since 2008 in a fresh shift
Chaos in Parliament over Uhuru ouster from Jubilee party
Paul Mackenzie Ex-follower claims the cult leader conned over 1,500 people
The MCAs accused the County Assemblies Forum (CAF) of failing to champion their interests and threatened to pull out from the forum and stop monthly contributions.
“CAF is unable to do its work. By the end of today, we are canceling the annual subscription to CAF,” said MCA Chirchir Tarimbo of Kericho County Assembly.
In November last year, CAF was pushing for MCAs to earn about Sh400,000 after Members of Parliament protested the Salaries and Remuneration Commission’s decision to slash their basic pay from Sh532,500 to Sh426,000 despite their gross salary getting a slight raise.
MCAs are also pushing for development allocation under the Ward Development Fund.
This comes even as the National Assembly seeks to anchor the National Government Constituency Development Fund and Senate Oversight Fund in the Constitution.
There are an estimated 1,450 elected MCAs in the country but the total number is more than 2000 when nominated ward representatives are factored in.
Also read,
How Ruto tricked Uhuru months before the August general election- Duale
Kenya responds to claims of ditching China for US
Uhuru moves to reclaim his position after being ousted from Jubilee party
Senior Azimio ICT experts differ with Raila over calls to open IEBC servers
US report ranks Kenya second most preferred country by American investors
Follow us
