During a session on Thursday, MPs approved the appointment of new Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) commissioners while urging them to perform their duties impartially.
However, the lawmakers also used the opportunity to demand a salary increase, criticizing the outgoing commissioners for freezing previous increments.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah accused the previous SRC team of pandering to populist sentiments during last year’s Gen Z protests, which he claimed undermined the constitutional process of annual salary reviews.
“They wanted to play populist politics and pit MPs against the public when they published the normal annual increment during the protests. MPs, like other Kenyans, deserve a pay rise,” Ichung’wah said.
National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed echoed these sentiments, asserting that lawmakers were unfairly targeted by the former SRC team.
“SRC thinks we [MPs] are a bunch of jokers, enjoying security, air-conditioned offices, and leisure. They should instead address wage disparities in the public service,” Junet remarked.
Kenyan MPs Argue Their Pay Reflects Service to the Community
Zamzam Mohamed, Mombasa Woman Representative, called for a more substantial salary increment, emphasizing that MPs’ earnings often go back to supporting their communities.
“We were forced to denounce the Ksh.7,000 increment while we wanted more. The salaries we earn are used to serve the people. Times are hard, and we were forced to reject the increment to save our lives,” Zamzam noted.
Public Backlash
The push for a salary increase has triggered widespread outrage, with Kenyans condemning MPs for prioritizing their interests over the struggles of ordinary citizens.
“How can you ask for a pay raise when you’re already earning millions, and civil servants are barely getting by on less than Ksh.35,000 a month?”
“97% of MPs don’t deserve even what they’re earning now. They’re responsible for Kenya’s misery,” read some of the comments from frustrated Kenyans online.
Critics highlighted the stark contrast between MPs’ hefty perks and the hardships faced by the majority of the population.
A 2020 global ranking conducted by the United Kingdom’s Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) ranked Kenyan MPs as the second-highest-paid legislators in the world.
They outpaced counterparts from first-world nations such as the United States, Japan, and Britain.
A Disconnect From Reality?
As the conversation around the pay rise unfolds, many Kenyans are questioning the priorities of their leaders.
The public outrage underscores the growing gap between the country’s political elite and ordinary citizens, who continue to shoulder the burden of economic hardship.
The spotlight now shifts to the new SRC commissioners, who face the delicate task of balancing constitutional provisions with public sentiment.
Will they bow to pressure from MPs, or will they stand firm in addressing wage disparities across the public service? Only time will tell.
