Nairobi, Kenya: Kenya’s Civil Society Organisations staged a protest against a move by MPs to increase their pay perks and allowances.
The anti- MPs’-greed protest was colourfully staged with a drove of piglets herded to the door steps of Kenya’s Parliament to register the concerns against ‘unaffordable salaries.
The protest caught MPs and parliamentary security unawares and drew crowds as media beamed live theprotest.
Police officers in riot gear watched helplessly as theprotesters picketed with posters asking MPs to stop their greed for public funds. One poster read ‘stop biting the hand that feeds you’
Happening just hours before the National Assembly convenes to begin business of the week, the noisyprotesters gathered outside parliament precincts and chanted slogans against members who were elected at the March 4 general election.
The protest comes just days after President Uhuru Kenyatta added his voice against the clamour by MPsto hike their pay and allowances even before earning their first salary.
The Salaries and Remuneration Commission led by chair Sarah Serem has stood firm arguing against the demand by MPs saying it is not sustainable.
The SRC complained that the MPs were using threats including a move to dissolve the constitutional commission in a bid to arm twist it to improve the pay perks.
SRC has recommended that MPs pay be pegged at Sh 532,000 while the legislators are demanding Sh 850,000. The National Assembly has 349 MPs while Senate has 67 members bring the total to 416 plus the two speakers and two clerks for the two tier chambers.
Source:standardmedia.co.ke
