Members of the Kenyan Parliament have let go of demands for higher salaries and agreed to accept pay cuts amidst public outcry. Protesters in a celebratory mode crowded the streets and to bask in the success of “people power.” Boniface Mwangi, an activist who was involved in organizing protests over the dispute on wages said that the people have won.
Revised agreement
The new agreement between the salaries commission and the MPs may be a victory for the common man. However the salaries of government officials still make up 12% of the GDP and the average wages of an MP in Kenya is still 40 times higher than a regular employee. The average annual income in Kenya is $1,800.
President-elect Uhuru Kenyatta himself informed the MPs in April that the bill for their salaries at 12% was way above the 7% that is the acceptable level. The President urged the MPs to make the effort to improve the economy first before they demand an increase in their wages. Around half of the revenues collected by the government went to the salaries of government officials.
Legislators used to receive a salary of US$120,000 per year. Now they have agreed to an annual remuneration of US$75,000. Nevertheless, members of Parliament would still be eligible to receive a $59,000 for the purchase of a vehicle of their choice. The MPs can also stake claim to mileage costs.
349 legislators vs. 42 million Kenyans
Aggressive activists labeled the Kenyan Parliament a piggy bank and called the members “MPigs” as they spilled cow’s blood outside the buildings. The likeness of a pig made from papier-mache doused in pig’s blood was paraded in front of parliament and protesters bearing placards smashed it at the gates. The chanting heard from the protesters demanded that MPs voluntarily cut their salaries.
The protests were organized in response to the threat by MPs to disband the salaries commissions for affecting the pay cut three months ago in April. In May the MPs voted against a directive that would in effect force the government to pay them similar salaries as the members of the previous parliament.
The MPs were elected on March 4, 2013. The term of their predecessors ended in January.
Thousands of Kenyans live in sub-par conditions in slums. For them, members of their country’s parliament were greedy and lazy. For their part, the MPs argued that they needed a salary increase so that they have money to give to their constituents in helping them with hospital and school-related bills.
No wage increase
The salaries commission was adamant in refusing the demand for higher pay and cited legal basis for its stand. The commission stated that authorizing increase in payment could be equivalent to a charge of abuse of office. The salaries commission has forwarded an argument earlier saying that MPs in Kenya get higher pay than MPs in France despite the fact that the country is amongst the poorest economies in the world. Earlier this year, the salary of the President of Kenya was reduced from $340,000 to $185,000.
Photo Credit: Kenyan Parliament
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