• MP Dawood says he's ready to serve without pay.
• The lawmaker spoke at the constituency NG-CDF offices.
North Imenti MP Rahim Dawood says lawmakers should not be paid for serving Kenyans.
He said yesterday this will go a long way in reducing the burgeoning wage bill and help the country tackle the debt problem. Dawood said he is ready to forgo his monthly salary and urged his colleagues to be ready to follow suit.
The lawmaker spoke at the constituency NG-CDF offices where he issued Sh40 million for institutional development, including the construction of administration blocks.
“Now that Kenya is struggling with a high wage bill and residents continue to demand more development projects, my opinion is that MPs and other state servants’ salaries be reduced or even done away with altogether. They shouldn’t be paid a coin. They can earn allowances,” he said.
He said Kenyans must start treating leadership as a calling so those seeking positions know it is not an opportunity to profit. One should resign from a job to run for political office to serve and not to get financial benefits or other favours, he said.
Dawood praised President Uhuru Kenyatta for promoting peace and cohesion. He backed the President’s development agenda and cautioned politicians against causing chaos, especially in churches. He said those who fight in churches should be blacklisted and barred from addressing congregations.
Citing the incident in Murang’a in which MPs Ndindi Nyoro and Maina Kamanda clashed in a church, he said politicians must lead by example to earn the respect of wananchi.
“What happened in Murang’a is not acceptable. I urged religious leaders not to give such politicians a platform to address people in church even if they attended the church for a harambee,” the legislator said.
Dawood also hailed DCI chief George Kinoti and DPP Nordin Haji for leading their officers in fighting corruption and other crimes. “Those criticising the work done by the two offices indulge in criminal activities.”
He urged Kenyans, especially minority communities, to support the Building Bridges Initiative. He said the only way a person from a minority community such as Meru can ascend to the country’s top leadership is the adoption of a parliamentary system.
He backed the expansion of the executive to create the positions of President, Prime Minister and their deputies, saying they will ensure more communities are accommodated in leadership and that will promote peace and prosperity.
“We want a comprehensive constitutional change. General elections are far and it’s unfortunate for someone to claim former Prime Minister Raila Odinga cannot be elected. Leaders come from God. There’s no way a Meru can be President through a presidential system,” Dawood said.
He further waded into the Punguza Mizigo debate saying a senior politician must be behind it. He said Thirdway Alliance leader Ekuru Aukot cannot get one million signatures to kickstart a constitutional amendment process.
Dawood said the BBI task force has yet to produce its report, hence those campaigning against it have ill motives. He cautioned against partisan politics and called for the disbandment of Kieleweka and Tangatanga factions in Jubilee Party.
The Kieleweke team supports President Uhuru Kenyatta’s development agenda and is opposed to early 2022 campaigns, while the Tangatanga group backs DP William Ruto’s 2022 presidential bid.“Everyone has a right to vie for the Presidency... DP Ruto should not fear the creation of Prime Minister’s post,” Dawood said.
(Edited by F'Orieny)