House speakers have acceded to President Uhuru Kenyatta’s call for pay cuts saying they would give away 30 per cent of their salaries for the next three months towards the coronavirus emergency response.
National Assembly’s Justin Muturi and his Senate counterpart Ken Lusaka announced this on Thursday with a call to members to consider taking the cuts.
The two said they will consult further on the need for parliament to ratify the directives issued by the President on how to save the country’s economy.
“We'll announce further measures after consulting members on what can be done to cushion Kenyans,” Lusaka said in the televised address from Parliament buildings.
Asked on how their portion of the cuts should be managed, Muturi said indeed the history of the country doesn’t reflect very well when it comes to implementation of cuts.
“We hope the National Treasury will be coming with a mechanism of where the resources will be channelled to,” Muturi said.
Lusaka said senators may reconvene next Tuesday with logistics being put in place for weekly sittings.
“We are working on the logistics and ensure people cooperate in terms of observing the guidelines spelt out by the Ministry of Health,” Lusaka said.
Muturi said the House is yet to receive a request for a special sitting from the leaders hence members are considered to be continuing with their recess.
The move comes a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta introduced tax measures aimed at keeping the country’s economy afloat, as the effects of the coronavirus continue to dampen the macroeconomic environment.
As part of the measures, the President announced pay cuts for a number of state workers.
Together with Deputy President William Ruto, President Kenyatta will receive 80 per cent less their monthly pay.
Cabinet Secretaries and Chief Administrative Secretaries have been directed to take a 30 per cent pay cut while Principal Secretaries’ monthly pay was reduced by 20 per cent.
