Lawmakers want the Attorney General to address growing concerns of civil servants taking home less than one-third of their salaries.

The MPs, who sit in the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), would like Attorney General Dorcas Oduor to develop a policy to provide guidelines.

This comes after Auditor General Nancy Gathungu flagged a number of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) (MDA’s) that had staff who  earn less than the set standards.

Section 19(3) of Employment Act, 2007 as revised in 2012 states, that the total amount of deductions that may be made by an employer from the wages of his employee – at any one time – should not exceed two-thirds  of such wages.

At a meeting with Irrigation Principal Secretary Ephantus Kamoto who had appeared to respond to audit questions, the MPs blamed the current taxes imposed on employees as the reason that had pushed them to earn less pay than stipulated by law.

They cited housing levy, the increased National Social Security Fund (NSSF) deductions and the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).

In the last two years, employees have been parting with 1.5 per cent of their gross salary and a further 2.75 per cent deducted towards SHIF. NSSF contributions were increased by about 6 per cent.

Led by committee chairperson and Butere MP Tindi Mwale, MPs Nabii Nabwera (Lugari), Wilberforce Oundo (Funyula) and Gatundu South MP Gabriel Kagombe, the MPs said employees are suffering.

“Chair, we need you to make a ruling on this matter. We find the one-third rule based on the current deductions as untenable,” said Nabwera.

Oundo said it was unfortunate that employees earn less because of MPs’ actions and no disciplinary measures should be taken on those who flout the rule.