NAIROBI, Kenya – Katiba Institute has raised serious concerns over the recent decision to grant Members of Parliament (MPs) additional mileage allowances, calling for full transparency in how these payments were determined.
The group has written to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) and the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC), requesting detailed information regarding MPs’ salaries, allowances, and overall employment terms.
In its letter, Katiba Institute invoked Article 35 of the Constitution and the Access to Information Act, both of which guarantee the public’s right to access information held by public bodies.
The group is seeking clarification on the basis for determining MPs’ salaries and allowances, questioning whether these figures reflect legal and economic considerations.
“We want the SRC to provide all documents and evidence showing how MPs’ salaries were set, including any comparative labour market surveys,” said a representative of Katiba Institute.
The group is also keen to know whether the SRC has recommended any adjustments to MPs’ pay since 2011, and whether MPs are classified as full-time or part-time employees.
Alongside this request to the SRC, Katiba Institute has also called on the PSC to provide copies of MPs’ employment contracts, details of their allowances, and information on their retirement benefits, highlighting the potential for unjustified changes to these terms over time.
The call for transparency comes amid rising public discontent about the high costs of maintaining MPs, particularly after revelations that each of the 416 MPs had been granted a fixed monthly mileage allowance of Sh366,011, alongside a monthly car maintenance allowance of Sh356,500.
These allowances, totaling nearly Sh2 billion annually, have sparked public frustration, especially as austerity measures are being enforced on ordinary citizens while legislators continue to receive generous perks.
The high mileage allowance, which can more than double an MP’s base salary of Sh725,500 per month, has been a particular point of contention, particularly for MPs representing distant constituencies.
Meanwhile, public servants like teachers and health workers continue to push for fair compensation, often without success.
Past audit reports have exposed cases where MPs have claimed millions in allowances on top of their salaries, with some even accused of submitting fraudulent claims.
This has fueled public skepticism, leading activists such as Chris Owala to demand greater accountability: “Taxpayers have a right to know how their money is being used. If MPs have nothing to hide, they should have no problem releasing these documents.”
Katiba Institute has warned that if the SRC and PSC fail to provide the requested information, the lobby may escalate the matter to the Commission on Administrative Justice or seek court intervention.
Legal experts have backed the lobby’s request, noting that it is a legitimate exercise of constitutional rights and an important step toward greater transparency and accountability.
Civil society organizations have also supported Katiba Institute’s efforts, pointing to the longstanding secrecy surrounding MPs’ pay as a key source of public mistrust in the country’s leadership.
