Enjoy Mortgages & Allowances Now, It is Your Right - Wetangula to MPs

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula addressing MPs during the induction retreat at the Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, o Monday, September 19, 2022
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula addressing MPs during the induction retreat at the Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, o Monday, September 19, 2022.
National Assembly

The Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang'ula has urged Members of the 13th Parliament to immediately take mortgages as it is among the privileges they are entitled to.

Speaking on Monday, September 19 during the start of a week-long induction at the Safari Park Hotel, Wetang'ula beckoned the MPs to take the house loan early to service them before their term ends.

The Speaker told the lawmakers to take advantage of the favourable policies they were entitled to, adding that it would also enable them to attend sittings without failure.

National Assembly Ag. Clerk Serah Kioko, Speaker Moses Wetangula and Justice Daniel Musinga Keynan attending the induction retreat at the Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, o Monday, September 19, 2022
National Assembly Ag. Clerk Serah Kioko, Speaker Moses Wetangula and Justice Daniel Musinga attending the induction retreat at the Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, on Monday, September 19, 2022
National Assembly

"There is a mortgage scheme, do not wait and take it in the third year because it will be very difficult to service. Take it now, it is the cheapest in the market, with an interest rate of between two to three per cent.

"Buy yourself an abode where you can be able to operate from," Wetang'ula stated.

Alive to the concerns of the legislators about the move by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to slash the majority of their allowances, the Speaker assured them all privileges will remain intact.

He intimated that he had held discussions with SRC and promised to give a comprehensive pronouncement at the end of the retreat. The commission's chair Lynn Mengich was also invited to address the MPS.

"I had a meeting with SRC and we have called them to order about a few things. At the close of this convention, I will be able to make a few pronouncements on your privileges and your other desired facilitation for you to do your work.

"Nobody, in their right frame of mind will interfere with MPs' car allowances, mileage reimbursement, mortgage and everything else you have been having because that is your entitlement," Wetang'ula affirmed.

Among the allowances which were scrapped include sitting stipends. On August 28, Mengich explained that some of the allowances pushed the monthly remunerations of lawmakers beyond their stipulated constitutional capping.

"The plenary sittings took the MPs' remuneration to either Ksh910,000/Ksh920,000 per month. This means that you would be remunerating an MP equal to a CS, governor. So the principle of equity dictated we remove the plenary sittings to ensure the pay is at the same level.

"We looked at the pay of the state officers from two main perspectives; equity and fairness. The principle of equity dictates that those at the same level should earn the same pay," she stated.

MPs Aden Duale, Kimani Ichung'wah, Opiyo Wandayi , Adan Keynan attending the induction retreat at the Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, o Monday, September 19, 2022
MPs Aden Duale, Kimani Ichung'wah, Opiyo Wandayi, Adan Keynan attending the National Assembly induction retreat at the Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, o Monday, September 19,2022.
National Assembly