Minority Leader in the National Assembly Opiyo Wandayi on Friday, April 7, claimed that he is yet to receive his monthly salary for March 2023.
In a heavily-worded statement, the lawmaker also accused President William Ruto's Government of failing to ensure that public servants and officers are remunerated as outlined in their contracts.
"For the first time in our history, even MPs have not been paid as we head towards mid-month.
"Only members of the security services - police and military - have been paid as we speak and the reason must be obvious to all," Wandayi claimed.
The Azimio la Umoja leader argued that the lack of timely payments was a sign that the state was facing a dire financial crisis due to a raft of wrong decisions that the Kenya Kwanza administration made at the very onset of their reign.
According to Wandayi, Ruto's plan to save the country some Ksh9.49 billion by removing fuel subsidies was wrongly timed.
"For the first time since independence in 1963, the Government of Kenya is unable to pay salaries to civil servants and members of parliament. Nearly all civil servants don't know when or if they will ever be paid.
"The situation has been (deteriorating) progressively since December 2022. This month, things got worse," Wandayi claimed.
While predicting the future, the Minority Leader wondered where the proceeds from taxes and savings from scrapped subsidies were going.
The Azimio la Umoja Coalition expressed concerns that the country's economic situation was worsening and claimed that the government was unable to meet one of its most basic obligations.
"We fear that this country is collapsing while we sit pretty hoping for miracles," Wandayi claimed.
However, Kakamega County Senator Boni Khalwale revealed that he had duly received his salary as usual, and any contrary claims are obviously false.
"Cheap propaganda. We've been paid," Khalwale asserted while warning those spreading the rumours to watch their tongues.
State of Economy
Data by the National Treasury shows that Kenya's economy is projected to grow by 5.5 per cent in 2023, which is relatively a slower growth rate.
Treasury also stated that the country would record a 6 per cent growth over the medium term.
"This growth will be reinforced by the Government's Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda geared towards an economic turnaround and inclusive growth," Treasury CS Njuguna Ndung'u explained.
CS Njuguna attributed the slow growth of the economy to multiple factors including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, supply disruptions, surge in inflation and incomes for exporters in the region.
Ruto Arrives in Rome for Pope Francis Burial News Just In
