Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has underpinned the demands of members of the National Assembly to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) arguing that they are entitled to decent salaries and allowances.
“If you say a member of parliament cannot be paid well, what are you saying? Our MPs are unique, so many people depend on them and there are a lot of things they have to initiate in their constituencies. If you curtail them from earning well, then what will give them dignity as members of parliament? You will be doing a disservice to the country,” Atwoli said.
According to Mr Atwoli members of the National Assembly ought to be unique, they should have nice cars to appear as leaders. “Our leaders must appear well, dress well, have nice cars and must be able to speak well. It is us taxpayers to make sure that they are well so that they don’t become conmen.
Mr Atwoli’s sentiments come amid ongoing rows between MPs and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission after their car allowances and mortgage privileges were scrapped, a move that has been met with opposition from the legislators who have now threatened to disband the commission. Trade unions have equally sworn to do the same arguing that the commission has overstepped its mandate. The SRC has been accused of becoming an impediment to the implementation of deals signed by workers and their employers. The unions said they will begin collecting one million signatures as they push for the disbandment of the commission. “In the coming days, we shall start a multi-pronged approach whose ultimate goal is to disband the SRC. We call on all workers to join us in this noble duty of restoring the industrial harmony between workers and employers through CBA negotiations, signing and implementation without interference from an unresponsive, unaccountable and belligerent third party,” said Dr Charles Mukhwaya the Trade Union Congress of Kenya Deputy Secretary General. “We identify with parliamentarians and support calls for the disbandment of the commission which, in our opinion, no longer serves the purpose for which it was formed,” he said.
Story By Lavin Atieno
