Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo on Wednesday argued a point in the National Assembly regarding the pay for legislators.
She argued that the MPs were always under constant pressure for money from their constituents hence justifying their call for higher salaries.
The ODM legislators equated MPs to Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards to the citizen's eyes.
Comparing MPs habit to the character in Charles Dicken's novel Oliver Twist, Millie stated: "We (MPs) will always ask for more because we are ATMs.
"When I go to my constituency, even when I am sitting here if a friend loses a friend in a road accident, I will have to chip in; for harambees, I will chip in.
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"People expect you to perform miracles and when you are poor they don't understand," she explained.
She added that MPs are heavily taxed and spent most of their time running around looking for money for their constituents instead of being in Parliament performing their legislative work.
Her sentiments landed her in trouble with a section of Kenyans faulting the legislators for encouraging the hand-out system to keep constituents dependant on them.
"Voters expect politicians to pay maternity and school fees, contribute to funerals, church fundraisers, even weddings. Every time you ask a politician for some money or donation, you’re encouraging them to steal our taxes to meet your needs. I still believe MPs deserve a pay cut," Activist Boniface Mwangi stated.
Other were in agreement with one user stating: "I think she’s telling only half the story. MPs can simply say no to these contributions. The only reason they don’t say no is that they want to get votes! And if they say no, there are others who are willing to pay for the said votes."
"If the MPs implemented policies that would promote good healthcare, education, increase employment and focus on developing the country nobody would ask them for money," another noted.
Here are the reactions:
