Peter Salasya took home a paltry KSh 2,364 out of his hefty KSh 1.2 million pay for the month of June
The Mumias East lawmaker exhibited his payslip while suggesting in jest he is struggling financially
According to Salasya, due to how pathetic their payslips looked, his colleagues in the National Assembly voted for the Finance Bill 2024, hoping for handouts from the government
Nairobi: MP Peter Salasya suggests he is struggling financially despite his hefty monthly pay.
The ever-jolly Mumias East legislator shared a payslip detailing his salary for June.
But an avalanche of deductions would see him remain with a paltry KSh 2,364 as his net pay. Taking a huge chunk of the deductions were his individual income tax (KSh 360,500) and mortgage (KSh 542,000).
Others were channelled to, among others, loans, the parliamentarians Sacco and Kenya Young Parliamentarians Association (KYPA).
The MP appeared to suggest that such meagre salaries could be what pushed his colleagues in the National Assembly to vote for the condemned Finance Bill 2024, with the supposed hope or promise of handouts from the government to bolster their pay.
“Here is my salary. This is what made the Kenya Kwanza MPs vote yes for the Finance Bill 2024. Some of us decided to persevere with the little pay. If my payslip looks like this, what of that of the police officers, teachers and doctors?” he posed.
This came as a host of lawmakers disapproved of the move by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to revise upward the salaries of state officers, among them MPs, senators, governors, Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries.
For instance, in its gazette notice, the SRC said that Moses Wetang’ula, the speaker of the National Assembly, and Amason Kingi, the speaker of the Senate, would receive a gross salary of KSh 1,208,362 this month, up from KSh 1,185,327.
The pay increase would also benefit Gladys Boss Shollei, the deputy speaker of the National Assembly, and Kathuri Murungi, the deputy speaker of the Senate; the duo would receive a gross salary of KSh 966,690, up from KSh 948,261.
Kimani Ichung’wah, the leader of the majority in the National Assembly, and Opiyo Wandayi, the minority leader, will earn KSh 800,019. Salasya was among the 115 MPs from the Azimio La Umoja coalition who voted against the bill.
Did MPs get KSh 2m each to support Finance Bill 2024?
Meanwhile, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is on record as calling untrue the claim that the lawmakers aligned with the current regime were bankrolled to pass the condemned finance bill.
Gachagua said the government had no money to splurge on such missions. He regretted that the lawmakers were being castigated on unfounded claims. Juja Member of Parliament George Koimburi had alleged that his colleagues were each offered KSh 2 million to vote ‘yes’ on the Finance Bill 2024.
Koimburi, one of the 115 MPs who voted against the bill despite being a UDA member, claimed he refused the bribe and expressed his firm opposition to the proposed legislation.
