Mumias East Member of Parliament (MP) Peter Salasya laments how Kenyans are easily swayed amid public outrage on legislatures and state officials’ salaries.
In a video shared on Instagram on Thursday, July 4, 2024, Salasya stated that Kenyans have shifted their attention from the real issues following the ongoing discussion of the salary increment of the legislatures that was proposed by the Salary and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
The legislature further said the salary increment was a tactic used to divert attention adding that Kenyans should be discussing about budget where there is a misappropriation of funds instead of the salaries of MPs.
“Have just discovered that Kenyans are easily swayed, talking about the salary of an MP, Kenyans are not discussing the real issue about the budget where the money is being misappropriated, sasa ukipost pale inaonyesha you are not serious they are people who wemeleta (brought ) SRC and know you are being swayed Kenyans you are being brainwashed na watu wa SRC,” he said.
Defending the salary that a legislature receives monthly, Salasya said that MPs are more committed adding that they are moving ATMs since they use their salaries to cater to the needs of their constituents.
“kama kuna mtu ako more committed MP na Judge wa High Court are all the same but pesa ya mbunge ni pesa ya wanainchi is a moving ATM, si matanga anasupport , si harambe anasupport , si watoto anasupport and everything is about the MP because they are dealing with the immediate issues that are on the ground,”Salasya said.
CDF
Salasya stated categorically that the money meant for the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) cannot be embezzled since it is being monitored.
He explained that before doing any project under CDF it must be approved by the board members making it impossible to misappropriate the funds.
“CDF you cannot steal the money meant for CDF because mbunge you are nowhere you can monitor that money if there is money that can be felt and seen is the CDF money kwa sababu iyo ndio pesa inamanagiwa na committee na CDF board,” he explained.
“You cannot misappropriate money from the CDF there are auditors before project ipitishwa inakuja kwa board there is what we call the code list that is what is happening it is monitored at every level.”
MPs’ Salaries
SRC had earlier announced salary increments for state officers, members of parliament and cabinet secretaries effective July 1, 2024.
However, In a statement on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, the commission froze the proposed increment following the public outcry.