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Kenyaâs Parliament Speaker to Resolve Lawmaker Pay Dispute

   Peter Clottey 21 July 2010

   The  speaker  of  Kenyaâs  parliament  has told VOA he will be holding
   talks  Thursday  with legislators to resolve the stalemate surrounding
   the controversial pay increase for members of parliament.

   Kenneth  Marende,  who  is  also chairman of the parliamentary service
   commission,  said  there is a need to put to rest once and for all the
   impasse  between  the  legislature and the executive over the proposed
   pay hike for lawmakers.

   Kenya's parliament debate taxing allowances and salaries of lawmakers

   âWhat  is  expected  in the discussion is the fate of the remuneration
   package of the members of the 10^th parliament. What the meeting today
   seeks  to  do  is  to  provide  a solution to the standoff so that the
   matter  is  resolved to the satisfaction of both members of parliament
   and the executive,â he said.

   Earlier  this  month,  Kenyan  lawmakers passed a report raising their
   salaries from Sh851, 000 ($10,411.82) to Sh1.1 million ($13,455.76).

   But,  critics,  as  well  as civil society groups, condemned the sharp
   increase describing the move as illegal after accusing the legislators
   of refusing to pay taxes on their salaries and allowances.

   Prime  Minister  Raila  Odinga  also said that the pay hike was unfair
   adding that it sends the wrong signal to the entire population.

   The  increase comes ahead of the referendum that will pave way for the
   implementation of Kenyaâs new constitution.

   Experts say the new constitution stipulates that members of parliament
   will not be able to arbitrarily increase their own salaries.

   Parliament  Speaker Marende said some groups are simply opposed to any
   form of pay increase for legislators.

   âThe  reason  it  generated  controversy  is  that  civil  society  in
   particular  is  of the view that there are greater national priorities
   than  addressing  that  matter  of  review  of  members  of parliament
   salaries.  And,  they  are  also  laboring  under the notion that this
   review  is  going to result in an increase rather than a harmonization
   to  ensure that members of the 10^th parliament pay full tax,â Marende
   said.

   Legislators  adopted  the  Akiwumi  report that was recently tabled in
   parliament  by  the  parliamentary  service  commission  proposing  an
   increase  in lawmakersâ salaries before they could agree to have their
   allowances taxed.

   Kenya media reported that, under the proposed increase, Prime Minister
   Odinga  is  expected  to  earn  a monthly income of $ 40,000. But, the
   prime minister rejected the proposed hike saying he was satisfied with
   his original pay.

   Critics  say  the  proposed  pay  hike puts Kenyan lawmakers among the
   worldâs best paid members of parliament.

   But,  Speaker Marende said Kenyan legislators are satisfied with their
   currently salaries and allowances without being overly taxed.

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