Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot has called on Members of Parliament (MPs) to consider taking pay cuts. On Wednesday, July 3, 2024, the Senate Majority Leader suggested that lawmakers should reject the salary increments proposed by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
Cheruiyot emphasized the importance of reducing the country’s public expenditure on salaries and wages from the current 46 percent to the mandatory 35 percent level.
“If it means taking a pay cut, we as members of parliament have been told that we will never do it. We don’t have an option, we must do it,” Cheruiyot said.
The lawmaker faulted SRC for remaining silent on the high wages debate that has been going on.
Cheruiyot on MPs pay rise
Cheruiyot criticized the Lyn Mengich-led commission for proposing a salary increase for MPs and other state officers during challenging economic conditions. He urged lawmakers from both the National Assembly and the Senate to take a principled stand and reject these proposed salary increments.
“The yearly increment that is being discussed, I saw it being reported or misreported that we are now going to earn more…SRC continues to be silent about it. We must make a resolution and say that we reject even that one in light of the financial situation,” he stated.
SRC faulted
Cheruiyot has aligned himself with Eldas MP Adan Kenyan in urging MPs to reject the proposed pay hikes. Kenyn, in a statement shared via his official X account on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, strongly criticized the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) for recommending salary increases for lawmakers and state officers.
He accused the SRC of being out of touch with the current economic conditions in the country.
Kenyan described the proposal to increase MPs’ salaries as grossly insensitive and called on his fellow lawmakers and state officers to publicly denounce the SRC’s decision and decline the salary increments.
“The move by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to increase salaries for Members of Parliament and other state officers speaks of a state agency that has lost touch with the prevailing economic state of the country,” Kenyan stated.
“This unwarranted action by the Mrs Lyn Mengich-led commission is grossly insensitive, tone-deaf and should be loudly condemned and unequivocally declined.”
MPs new salaries
According to the Gazette Notice issued by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), new monthly remuneration structures for state officers in the Senate and the National Assembly will be implemented in the Financial Year 2024/2025, effective from July 1, 2024.
Under the new structure:
– The Speakers of the National Assembly (Moses Wetangula) and the Senate (Amason Kingi) will receive a gross salary of Ksh1,208,362, up from Ksh1,185,327.
– Their deputies will earn Ksh966,690, up from Ksh948,261.
– The Leaders of the Majority and Minority parties, Kimani Ichung’wa and Opiyo Wandayi respectively, will earn Ksh800,019, up from Ksh784,768.
– Other MPs and senators will earn Ksh739,600, up from Ksh725,502.
These adjustments reflect increases in gross salaries for various parliamentary roles as outlined in the SRC’s latest directives.
