Very few know why this great servant of God made that decission. Well, here are a few reasons.
Kenya’s wage has been rising steadily in the last two decades. According to financial projections by treasury, a staggering Shs 458 billion will be paid out in salaries to public sector employees in the fiscal year 2012-2013. This amounts to upto 12% of GDP going directly into the wage bill, a figure that doubles the required percentage recommended for African countries to maintain a sustainable economy.
According
to Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) chairperson Sarah Serem,
if this trends on, the government might soon not afford even minimum
wages for its workforce. In the recent past, Kenya has witnessed a rise
in industrial actions prompted by low wages thus dissatisfied employees.
A number of professionals including doctors, nurses and teachers have been on strike to demand better pay.
With
the unsustainable wage burden staring in the face of Kenyans, other
groups are also following suit. Lately, MPs of the newly sworn in 11th
parliament are calling for a raise in their pay package. Late 2012, SRC
reviewed salaries of MPs down by upto 37% from Shs 850,000 earned by
former legislators to Shs 532,500, a move that has angered the incoming
legislators. They now threaten to work tirelessly to have SRC disbanded.
In the past, MPs have enjoyed privileges of duty free cars, no taxation
on their income but as for now, they will have to contend with a loan
of Shs 7 million to buy a car and payable at a 3% interest rate. Their
allowances have also been trimmed.
The
move by MPs has been met with outcry from the public representing the
Wanjikus. Kiplimo a resident of Baringo insists that the MPs should
resign and find better jobs if they are not happy with the pay. Njoki a
hawker in Nairobi laments that if this trend is ongoing, poor Kenyans
will have to dig deeper in their pockets to feed the wealthy
politicians. Half a million shillings is already a lot of money to spend
in one month, she adds. Until recently, MPs increasing their pay
through motions has been an accepted practice, not anymore as they will
have to change the constitution, a very unlikely move or even have to
deal with a referendum to have their wishes redeemed. Surely, if you
didn’t know why Pope Benedict really resigned, now you know; He knew
something really bad was going to happen somewhere in Africa, the same
ol Gs from the 10th parliament have re-engineered themselves back to the 11th parliament.
The
SRC has however warned that the amounts demanded are not available
hence everyone must contend with what they have for now. The
constitution mandates SRC to review salaries of state officers to ensure
equity and justified salaries. Price Waterhouse Coopers (Pwc) was
contracted late 2012 to review salaries of state officers resulting to
the current pay structure that is being rejected. SRC
is also seeking to review salaries of public institutions employees, a
move that has been met with outright rejection form the Central
Organization of Trade Unions. COTU has threatened court action to stop
SRC by terming its move as being outside its constitutional mandate.
Just
before the General elections, KNUT announced a strike only to call it
off following negotiations and that the strike notice move was untimely
then. Kenyans now await to see how the new government under Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy William Ruto handle matters to save Kenyans from this grave issue.
