The National Treasury should be commended for taking such a principled stand against the Parliamentary Service Commission’s demand for an allocation of Sh3.3 billion in ‘severance’ pay for the 416 lawmakers (see report P10).
The PSC wanted the money set aside in the Budget as a contingency measure should MPs move to court to seek payment for the months “lost” from their five-year term.
The MPs have argued that their tenure should end in March next year, insisting that’s the exact expiry to the day of their five-year term.
There are fears the MPs may shoot down the Budget if they are not paid this extortionate sum.
The PSC described Treasury’s decision as shocking.
But the Constitution is clear about the date of Parliament’s dissolution – it is the date of the General Election. The 11th Parliament therefore stands dissolved on August 8, not some date in March 2018.
Kenyans need to support the Treasury in staring down the Legislature on this issue.
