The cost of keeping a Member of Parliament rose to an average of Sh2 million per month beginning Wednesday (July 1). Budget documents show that the 349 MPs (National Assembly) will, in the fiscal year starting July 1, get paid an average of Sh1.99 million per month in salaries and reimbursements for costs incurred up from an average of Sh1.5 million this year. Each of the 67 senators is expected to take home similar amounts. The 416 legislators will earn the money in basic pay and personal allowances paid as part of the salary that adds up to about Sh1.387 million (combined average for MPs and senators). Each MP then earns an average of Sh509,214 per month in domestic travel and other transportation costs, taking the total to nearly Sh2 million. Travel costs are paid to the legislators as mileage claims for trips made to their constituencies. Budget documents for the past two years show that the cost of maintaining legislators rose by nearly Sh400,000 per MP per month. In the fiscal year ended June 2014, each of the MPs earned an average Sh1.59 million per month compared to the Sh1.98 million they will be paid in the next financial year — a Sh390,000 or a 24.5 per cent rise.
08 Jul