Government finally clears MPs March 2023 salaries
The government has finally paid lawmakers their March 2023 salaries after a two week delay.
An MP who spoke to Nairobi News off the record confirmed he had received his outstanding salary.
“All the MPs have been paid. I was paid a week ago,” he confirmed.
“I hope the delay was a one-off thing and it will not recur.”
The information on payments was corroborated by two others lawmakers.
The development will ease pressure on President William Ruto’s government which is evidently facing a cash crunch.
The President and his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua have publicly acknowledged they are struggling to pay civil servants their salaries and settle the country’s debt at the same time.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u has also warned Kenyans to brace for tough economic times while confirming Sh6 of every Sh10 collected by the taxman is currently channeled towards payments of debts.
President Ruto and his allies have further accused former president Uhuru Kenyatta of instigating the current financial challenges facing the country and accused the opposition of criticizing without viable solutions to the crisis.
“We will stop this behavior of borrowing money with no plan. Some are saying our government is a government of borrowing, I want to tell you that in the budget that we had, they had planned to borrow 900 billion, but I said no to that amount and reduced it from 900 billion to 600 billion.
“And we will go with the trend of reducing the money year after year until we reach a time when our budget is driven by the tax and revenue of Kenyans so that we come out of debts that are taking our nation behind,” said Mr Ruto
“And I will keep my focus irrespective of who writes what, we are committed in saving our nation from the hands of debts that we entered without a good plan,” he continued.
Despite the reprieve on MPs, several other civil servants especially those working in the counties are yet to be paid with the government owing counties arrears of up to three months.
Also read: Brazilian footballer Neymar expecting child with model girlfriend
Did Karen Nyamu subtly remind Edday Nderitu she isn’t the only wife to Samidoh?