MCAs to Government: Increase Our Pay Or Else
Devolved Services in Counties are on a verge of stopping after MCAs threatened to shoot down budgets in their respective counties if they do not get a salary increment.
In their inaugural National Consultative Forum in Nairobi, which saw Devolution Principal Secretary Teresia Mbaika ejected from the podium the members claimed they needed an address from the President or Deputy President who would easily understand their pleas.
“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, Stanley Karanja.
They claim what they earn is far below Their standard as Honourable Members.
“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?” Claimed Mochongoi Ward MCA Kipruto Kimosop.
The ward representatives 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 have been raising claims that salary adjustments to their offices have been scaling downwards from 2013 leaving MCAs unable to meet some of the demands of their constituents.
They further accused the County Assemblies Forum of failing to champion their interests and threatened to pull out from the forum and stop monthly contributions.
Kenya at the moment has an 1,450 elected MCAs in the country with the total number being more than 2000 when nominated ward representatives are factored in.
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