Former Alego Usonga MP Otieno Mak’Onyango, on Saturday, September 28, cried out to the state over meagre earnings of Ksh8,000 per month.
Joining a group of other former legislators, the lawmaker claimed that after leaving the August House, life becomes difficult because not many people are willing to work with them.
Some are tucked away in rural areas not because they cannot manoeuvre the urban life of Nairobi but simply because they cannot afford.
He further stated that some leaders are forced to sell their property in order to make ends meet.
"Being an MP is one of the most privileged positions under the sun. But a former MP is very different from a retired judge.
“The salary you get is not yours but the people’s … and by the time you get out of Parliament, you are worse off than when you went in. It is really frustrating,” stated Mak’Onyango.
The legislator is entitled to a pension of only Ksh8,000 pension every month.
His lamentations were corroborated by John Marimoi who served in a former Finance assistant minister in retired President Daniel Arap Moi’s government as well as Marakwet East MP between 1997 and 2002.
“Once you are out of Parliament, no one will want to employ you. I have been out for 17 years and it is terrible. You can’t do business! Everyone is just looking at you for favours yet you have nothing.
"When you are in (Parliament), you don’t imagine that at some point you will be out. I never knew that I would become a victim,” stated Marimoi.
The former leaders are therefore seeking a Parliamentary Pensions Act amended so that they start receiving a pension of at least Ksh100,000 every month.
Other leaders who are pushing for the amendment include; Joseph Lotodo (Baringo East, 1992 to 2002), Saulo Busolo (Webuye, 1995 to 1997), Aloo Ogeka (Muhoroni, 1992 to 1997), Francis Mutuol (Marakwet West, 1973-1983 and 1988-1992) and Immanuel Imana (Turkana Central).
