Kenya Scraps Sitting Allowance for Lawmakers

Kenya has scrapped sitting allowances for the country’s Lawmakers in a move suspected to be for the purpose of reducing the cost of governance and save earnings.

The Kenyan Salaries and Remuneration Commission(SRC) said new members will not enjoy a sitting allowance for attending plenary sessions going forward.

BBC reports that the incoming MPs will not enjoy this “popular and controversial perk” after the coming August 9 election.

Kenyan lawmakers are said to be among some of the best paid in the world.

According to the report, this move will save 382m Kenya shillings($3.2m, £2.6m)per annum, affecting 416 members of the lower and upper parliament houses.

Kenyan Lawmakers are said to earn $5000 monthly taxable pay plus other juicy allowances. Among other things cut down by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission(SRC) is a $17,000 car grant for county representatives which was also approved last year.

However, the president and deputy president’s salaries remained untouched.