MCAs Demand Salary Rise

Nairobi, Thursday May 4, 2023

KNA by Rebeccah Ominde

Members of the County Assemblies (MCA) have been urged to work in unison irrespective of their political party affiliation.

Kinanie Ward MCA and Deputy Minority leader at Machakos County government, Mr. Francis Wambua Kavyu said there is need for MCAs to be meeting and discussing issues of development in their counties.

Speaking during the inaugural meeting of the National Members of County Assemblies Consultative forum held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi that was attended by over 1600 MCA, Wambua said it is worrying that out of the Sh 2.2million MCAs get for development in their wards, they were losing Sh 600,000 to taxation.

The forum that was organized by nominated and elected MCAs from the 47 counties, aimed at providing a platform for MCAs from the counties to discuss and deliberate on matters related to devolution, financial autonomy of county assemblies and service delivery.

            “Today marks the beginning of a long journey, the people of our counties have delegated the power to us. “Ugatuzi Mashinani has to be a reality,” said Kavyu.

He said MCAs are ready to perform their mandate and urged county assemblies to engage them while budgeting and planning activities to be undertaken in their areas of jurisdiction.

Kavyu said MCAs need to be empowered since they are not in the constitutional framework by accident, but are in the position because they were elected by the electorate.

The event that was attended by stakeholders and development partners also saw the MCAs agitating for a salary increment lamenting that what they are currently getting is too low.

Speaking at the event, Naivasha East MCA Stanley Karanja said that the strength of a power is its utility, hence MCAs will use the power given to them to approve and reject budgets as stated in Article 185 of the country’s constitution.

“We have come here because we have a purpose and let us wake up,” stressed Karanja while presenting his pays lip to the audience in agitation for a salary rise for MCAs.

He disclosed that in 2013 the basic salary for an MCA was Sh 86,000 while the Speaker’s basic salary was Sh. 262,500, and decried the fact that they are still getting a basic salary of Sh 86,625 in 2023, while the county assembly speaker’s basic pay has risen to Sh 313,315.                                                    

MCA Antony Karanja of Waithaka Ward in Nairobi County government and Minority leader said “We want autonomy of the County Assembly, give us the money, we plan and decide on its usage. We want the Ward Development Fund anchored in law.’’

During the meeting the MCAs honoured their colleague, the late Stephen Maloba of Kisa East Ward in Kakamega County who was brutally murdered in Kakamega.

 During the meeting MCA Kavyu read out some of the resolutions among them the county ward development fund, financial autonomy of county assemblies, terms and conditions of service by MCAs and reinstatement of preliminary allowances.

Mikindani Ward MCA Jackson Madialo from Mombasa County read out a petition to the General County Assembly which was setting out the functions of County Assemblies, suspension of county assembly forum, granting of financial autonomy to aid in effective execution of their legislative mandate.

Others matters discussed are the establishment of ward development fund fully anchored in law at 40 percent of the County development budget and establishment of the County affirmative action fund for nominated members of county assembly.

Courtesy; K.N.A