Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, ex-Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Deputy President William Ruto could pocket billions of shillings in retirement package if Members of Parliament pass a new Bill.
The Bill, dubbed the Retirement Benefits (Deputy President and Designated State Officers) (Amendment) Bill, 2018 is sponsored by Narok Senator Ledama ole Kina and proposes hefty retirement packages for senior State retirees dating back to 1993.
Others who will rake in billions as proposed by the Bill include; Speakers of the both the National Assembly and Senate, the Chief Justice and Deputy Chief Justice.
2013 figures from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) showed that Kenyan taxpayers paid more than Sh500 million per year as pensions for the retired state officers. Going by this figure, sailing through of the Bill could could see taxpayers fork out Sh2.5 billion annually as pension for the state retirees.
“The idea is really to seal loopholes and recognise people who served this country,” Senator Ole Kina said.
“There is nothing the taxpayer is suffering from. My Bill has got nothing to do with taxpayers losing money; my bill has to get everything to do with a law that had already been passed, and now I am sealing the loopholes in that law,” said Kina.
Current House Speakers Justin Muturi and Ken Lusaka as well as their predecessors Ekwe Ethuro, Kenneth Marende and Francis ole Kaparo will also benefit from the Bill. Others who will pocket millions are current Chief Justice David Maraga and ex-CJs Willy Mutunga, Evans Gicheru and Bernard Chunga.
In 2015, a similar Bill awarding State retirees billions of shillings was declared unconstitutional by the High Court. The judge argued that MPs failed to consult the SRC on the matter as required in law.
Ex-Vice Presidents covered in the bill include the late George Saitoti and Micheal Kijana Wamalwa, Moody Awori and Kalonzo.
“Where an entitled person dies in service after the commencement of this Act, a lump sum payment on death calculated as a sum equal to five times the entitled person’s annual salary shall become payable to the entitled person’s legal personal representatives,” reads part of the Bill.
“They (leaders) should be treated with honor. I have lobbied my colleagues from both sides of the House and I am sure it will sail through,” he said when asked about the Bill that is before the Senate Labour and Social Welfare Committee.
Public hearings on the Bill will commence on Wednesday, an advertisement placed in the local dailies on Saturday shows.
Every Kenyan has served this…
Every Kenyan has served this Country. Why reward the privileged while leaving the masses stuck in the mud. Retirement packages should be based on years of public service and not the fact that an individual held a certain position in government. This bill should be rejected.
“My bill has nothing to do…
“My bill has nothing to do with tax payers losing money”. Are you going to pay from your pocket? This could be a good time to analyse these people and state exactly what each of them have achieved for our country so they can be paid accordingly. Is this the richest country on earth that we are going back to 1993 to ask those who were born then and are now about 25 years old not to think about the future of their families and become slaves of all those who have steered our country wrong since 1993. I think the leadership of our country is driven completely by greed, no sense of responsibility. We are even looking for the dead to throw money at them that the country does not have. The country is going to borrow money and give to the dead
Kenya! We have a Problem.
Kenya! We have a Problem.
Looks like these fellows are…
Looks like these fellows are rewarded for who they are and unfortunately not for their productivity.
The public should oppose this financial bleeding.On behalf of the people,let the president say something on this matter.
Waswahili husema, “Wajinga…
Waswahili husema, “Wajinga ndio waliwao.”