If you want fat salaries join the corporate, Ekuru Aukot tells MCAs
Kenyan lawyer Ekuru Aukot has weighed in on the subject of Members of County Assembly’s salaries, accusing the ward representatives of seeking to enrich themselves with public resources.
Dr Aukot has further asked the MCAs to seek employment in the corporate world if all they are interested in is fat salaries.
“They’re milking dry the ‘cow’ aka Kenya. What a shame. If people want fat salaries, let them join the corporate world or start an industry,” Dr Aukot tweeted.
They're milking dry the "cow" a.k.a Kenya.
What a shame. If people want fat salaries, let them join the corporate world or start an industry. https://t.co/eLFCFU3Vzj— Dr. Ekuru Aukot (@EAukot) November 13, 2022
He also questioned the the MCA’s value addition.
At the risk of being insulted: what value do they bring to the table? https://t.co/OGwaG88YBw
— Dr. Ekuru Aukot (@EAukot) November 13, 2022
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MCAs, who pocket a monthly salary of Sh144,376, have tabled a proposal that if passed will almost triple salaries to Sh400,000. Additionally, MCAs enjoy a Sh3 million inpatient cover, Sh200,000 (outpatient), Sh100,000 (maternity) and Sh50,000 each for dental and optical cover.
This comes after Members of Parliament made similar demands. On September the parliamentarians’ attempts to coerce the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to reinstate sitting allowances for plenary sessions hit a snag with them expressing dissatisfaction with the commission over the new emoluments it gazetted ahead of elections.
They demanded that SRC reinstates Sh5,000 sitting allowance for every plenary session and car grant where every MP received a brand new car at the start of every Parliament.
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Central Organization of Trade Unions (Cotu) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has since waded into the debate saying the lawmakers are entitled to better salaries since they are the sole benefactors of their constituents and they need to be funded.
“So many people depend on them (MPs) and they are going to initiate a lot of things in their constituencies. If you cut them from earning, what will give them dignity as Members of Parliament? You are doing a disservice to the country,” Atwoli he said.
However, if the Sh400,000 salaries increase is adopted, it will only worsen the country’s wage bill crisis at a time limited public resources are also being gobbled up by repayment of a choking public debt.
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