After the Salaries and Remuneration Commission gave in to their requests, ALL members of Parliament—including those from Nairobi who travel small distances—will now be eligible for mileage payment.
We have confirmed that the commission has given each of the 416 senators and members of parliament a set monthly mileage payment of Sh366,011. This amounts to Sh1.82 billion annually or Sh152.26 million monthly.
The MPs in Nairobi and the surrounding areas who travel extremely small distances to Parliament will also benefit from the updated benefits, which means taxpayers will bear the additional cost.
Next week, on April 1, the new mileage allowance will be paid.
Public outrage against the MPs, who are among the highest paid in the world, is likely to be sparked by the discovery, which comes as Kenyans are already dealing with high taxes, a damaged economy made worse by the high cost of living, and a massive public debt. MPs from remote regions will profit more.
MPs whose districts are more than 205 kilometers from Nairobi will be eligible to receive additional funding, according to the SRC.
For the extra actual distance traveled beyond the 205 km, the allowance will be paid at the rate of Sh152.6 per kilometer.
Days after the Auditor General revealed how the MPs would be earning millions of dollars through fictitious mileage claims, the revelations were made.
According to the report, the Senate and National Assembly, which make up Parliament, are spending millions to make it easier for Members of Parliament to see their constituents.
In her 2023–24 audit, Auditor General Nancy Gathungu revealed that parliamentarians only need to complete a transport claim form each month, and the money is instantly transferred to their accounts.
To demonstrate that MPs traveled to and from their counties or constituencies, the PSC does not require any more documentation.
“No controls or other documentation was in place to verify that a member traveled in order to justify the allowance’s payment,” Gathungu discloses.
According to Gathungu, dubious payments might cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of shillings.
Many Members of Parliament, particularly those from distant constituencies, get mileage allowances that can nearly quadruple their gross pay.
As if that weren’t enough, each of the 416 will receive Sh356,525 a month for car maintenance above and beyond the allotted distance.
As stated in the SRC’s July 2024 gazette notification, which halted the public officer pay increase, all other perks have been kept.
This suggests that the MPs’ request for a sitting allowance during plenary has been denied by the SRC.
Following a consultative meeting with the new SRC team in late February and a letter to SRC, Parliament’s request for the further benefits was granted.
Ordinary MPs receive a monthly gross salary of Sh725,502 in addition to various benefits.
Members of Parliament receive a sitting allowance in committees, which ranges from Sh7,500 per sitting to Sh120,000 per month.
Accordingly, a Mandera MP might earn up to Sh2.4 million every month.
The deputy chairperson of a committee receives Sh12,000 each sitting, up to a monthly maximum of Sh192,000, while the chairperson, up to a monthly maximum of Sh240,000, receives Sh15,000.
This is in addition to a medical benefit that includes Sh300,000 for outpatient care and Sh10 million for inpatient coverage.
Additionally, they benefit from maternity coverage of Sh150,000, dental coverage of Sh100,000, and optical coverage of a comparable sum. The member, one spouse, and up to five children under the age of 25 are all covered by the annual medical package.
A Special Parliamentary Duty Allowance of up to Sh150,000 per month may be granted to members of the Senate and National Assembly whose duties necessitate more parliamentary leadership than what is indicated in their terms of service and for which they get a normal salary.
Additionally, they are eligible for a mortgage up to Sh35 million, which would be repaid over time at a rate of 3% annual interest.
MPs receive Sh15,000 in airtime allowance and a daily subsistence allowance, both domestically and overseas, at highly generous rates. Additionally, taxpayer-funded security guards are given for them.
MPs received mileage allowances exceeding Sh2 billion from the Sh5.8 billion Parliament spent on domestic travel and subsistence.
