Didmus Barasa sponsors bill seeking to have SRC chairperson serve for fixed non-renewable term
By Mustafa Juma Kenya, June 12, 2024Kimilili Constituency Member of Parliament (MP) Didmus Barasa has sponsored a bill seeking to have the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) chairperson serve for a fixed non-renewable term of six years.
The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (Amendment) Bill was first read in National Assembly on Wednesday, June 12, 2024.
Time frame for SRC members
Barasa’s bill seeks to amend the Salaries and Remuneration Commission Act to provide for a time frame under which the Chairperson and Members of the Commission shall serve.
The Bill also seeks to provide for the nomination of Member for appointment to SRC under Article 230 (2) (c) (iii) of the Constitution to be undertaken by a joint forum of professional bodies represented by the Association of Professional Societies of East Africa.
“The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 21 of 2024) has been read for the first time,” the Parliament of Kenya said in a statement via Facebook.
“The Bill, sponsored by Kimilili MP, Hon. Didmus Baraza, seeks to amend the Salaries and Remuneration Commission Act to provide for a time frame under which the Chairperson and Members of the Commission shall serve,” the statement reads in parts.
Should the bill sail through, the SRC chairperson and members of the Commission shall serve on a part-time basis for a non-renewable term of 6 years.
SRC mandate
The bill seeks to reduce the operational costs associated with the full-term running of the SRC since the chairperson and members of the Commission are therefore not required to perform their duties on a full-term basis.
This, is because SRC’s functions of of setting and reviewing the remuneration and benefits of all State officers and advising the national and county governments on the remuneration and benefits of all other public officers are done occasionally.
Current SRC chairperson
The current SRC chairperson Lyn Cherop Mengich was appointed in 2018 by then President Uhuru Kenyatta, taking over from Sarah Serem who left the office on December 15, 2017 after six years at the helm.
Uhuru also appointed Dalmas Otieno, Leah Mumbua, John Monyoncho, Margaret Sawe, Amani Yuda Komora, Sophie Moturi, and Peris Ashubwe as SRC commissioners.
Uhuru had nominated former Kenya Power CEO Ben Chumo as chairperson before the latter was rejected by MPs owing to corruption investigation that was going on at the time.
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