MPs get salary increase in latest review

Lyn Mengich

Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) Chairperson Lyn Mengich.

Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group

Members of Parliament got a marginal pay rise in the latest remuneration and benefits for state officers in the executive and legislative arms of government announced by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission.

A gazette notice dated July 28, 2022 contains the monthly remunerations will run for the financial years 2022/23 to 2024/25.

The notice takes effect on August 9, 2022, the same day the country will be holding elections. 

The notice shows that although the MPs’ basic monthly pay has been reduced from Sh532,500 to Sh426,000 with their plenary sitting allowance of Sh5,000 abolished, they have been awarded Sh150,000 in house allowance, a new benefit.

This adds up to Sh710,000 monthly gross salary, but minus committee sitting allowances and mileage claims and is fixed for the term of office of an MP unless reviewed by SRC.

The gross pay for an MP is the sum of Sh426,000 basic pay, Sh150,000 house allowance and Sh134,000 in salary market adjustment.

The SRC defines salary market adjustment, which applies to the other state officers, as a salary modification that takes into account market positioning, and constitutional and statutory principles on review of remuneration and benefits.

No grant for MCAs

The commission has, however, abolished the Sh2 million grant for each of the 2,237 MCAs that it had approved in February 2021, which was widely viewed as an enticement for the ward representatives to approve the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill through the Building Bridges Initiative.

The MCAs grant cost the country Sh4.5 billion. This means that the MCAS will have to be content with the car loan.

While announcing the new remuneration and benefits, SRC Chairperson Lyn Mengich said wide consultative public and stakeholder engagements were held and warned state officers against awarding themselves benefits not contained in the gazette notice.

“The input was analysed and considered while revising the proposed remuneration and benefit structures,” said Ms Mengich.