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Senators want to kick out Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) chairperson Lyn Meng’ich  for slashing allowances to various cadres of state officers and for increasing her own salary.

The lawmakers took the afternoon to lash out at the salaries commission official for belittling them and for committing crimes against humanity on Members of the County Assemblies (MCAs).

The Senators accused Meng’ich of slashing the MCA’s car loans and mortgages and for failing to review salaries for Early Childhood Development Education (ECD) teachers.

“Trying to slash out the allowances for the MCA, car loans, and mortgages is a crime against humanity. I want to promise this House that this lady should be disciplined because she is not above the law, she is not above this House and she is not above anybody. So, we must give her the right medicine when she comes before us as a committee. We have been belittled and bear the greatest burden in this country,” said Julius Gataya Mo Fire (Tharaka Nithi).

The lawmakers also want the SRC chair to be summoned to explain why they reviewed the salaries of state officers without public participation.

In a statement sought by Mohamed Faki (Mombasa), the senator seeks clarity on whether the gazette notice complies with Section 11 of the Statutory Instruments Act and to ascertain whether appropriate consultation with relevant stakeholders was undertaken noting the transparency and fairness principle in the constitution.

Okong’o Omogeni (Nyamira) said that the SRC chair had reviewed her salary upwards with Ksh156, 075 while the salary of members of parliament has stagnated at Ksh710, 000 per month.

“I am surprised that SRC chair is paying herself a car loan of Sh10 million compared with the chair of EACC whom she has set a car loan of Sh8million,” Omogeni stated.

He added, “Meng’ich is serving her own interest. She has reviewed her salary upwards with Sh156, 075 while the salary of members of parliament stagnates at Sh710, 000.”

Enjoy mortgages

Omogeni held that while MPs and other state officers enjoy mortgages of up to Sh35 million, Meng’ich has set herself a mortgage of sh40 million

Danson Mungatana (Tana River) while supporting the statement on the floor of the House said that there is need for the delegated committee to find out and investigate whether Mengich has carried out herself befitting a state officer.

Mungatana further charged that the delegated committee chaired by Gataya to report to the House whether Mengich is fit to hold the SRC office and recommend her removal.

Enock Wambua (Kitui) charged that the Gazette notice of 27, July 2022 would go down in history as the worst gazette notice ever signed by a state officer.

Wambua who is also the Deputy Minority leader raised concern over ECDE teachers still earning a paltry Ksh7,000. He added that the commission has failed to review a new scheme of service for ECDE teachers and their dependents.

“The gazette notice increases the salary of the chairperson, car grant and mortgage. She does this while allowances for the staff in parliament are slashed to almost zero. A staff on official business in New York City is paid about Sh48,000 (USD400) per day.  Where are they supposed to sleep? Where are they supposed to eat?” posed Wambua.

He went on, “the delegated committee should find out whether the SRC chair should continue to sit in that  office, or a motion should be brought in this House and the National Assembly to discuss the possibility of sending her home and disband the commission.”

Sitting allowances

The accumulated salary of Members of County Executive Committees will be Sh404, 250, which includes a basic salary of Ksh242, 550 and other allowances.

SRC in their latest gazette notice also abolished Ksh2million grant for the 2,237 MCAs that were approved in February 2021 and their plenary sitting allowances were abolished.

The MCAs will earn a salary of Ksh144, 376 monthly.