Laikipia MCAs award themselves house allowances

Laikipia MCAs have passed a motion to award themselves house allowances.

Leader of majority Peter Thomi (Githiga) tabled the motion on Wednesday and directed that the implementation of the allowances be backdated to October 2018. 

The High Court ruled on October 5 last year in the Constitutional Petition Number 328 of 2016 on the house allowances for deputy governors. 

“The Council of Governors versus the Salaries and Remuneration Commission pronounced that denying some state officers similar benefits enjoyed by other state officers is discriminatory, unjustifiably selective and contrary to Article 27 of the Constitution’ Thomi said.

The motion did not direct how much the MCAs would earn in allowances, but directed immediate implementation. 

MCAs basic salary is 123,750 meaning they would be entitled to Sh18,562 as 15 per cent of basic salary as stipulated in the Employment Act. 

Thomi said that the resolution was similar to Parliament's payment of housing allowance to its members without the SRC's approval. 

He said that the office of the MCA has been strongly anchored as a fundamental component in the county government administrative system.

(edited by O. Owino)

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