Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) will be among the main beneficiaries of increased salaries for the 2023/2024 financial year if leaked notes from a high-secret meeting are anything to go by.
According to the notes obtained by Kenyans.co.ke, the County Assembly speakers will be the biggest beneficiaries with an increase estimated at Ksh70,000 in two financial years as proposed by the notes bearing the Salaries and Remunerations Commission (SRC) logo.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, a representative from SRC revealed that the salary increase would cut across all state officers starting in the 2023/2024 financial year.
The county speakers currently earn a gross monthly salary of Ksh525,525, which is expected to be revised to Ksh562,312 in the 2023/2024 financial year.
According to the Proposed Remuneration Structure for State Officers in the County Assembly, the county speakers will take home a sizeable sum of Ksh601,674 for the subsequent 2024/2025 financial year.
While county assembly speakers are expected to see their salaries increase significantly, other members of the county assemblies will have slightly lower pay raises.
MCAs will get a yearly Ksh10,000 from the SRC’s proposal despite earlier clamour to have their salaries increased by higher margins.
Currently, an MCA earns a gross salary of Ksh144,375, expected to hit Ksh154,481 and Ksh164, 588 in the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 financial years, respectively.
There is also a large disparity between the county assembly speaker and his deputy regarding pay.
In the proposal, a deputy speaker will take home Ksh247,943 monthly while the speaker will be paid Ksh601,674.
On the other hand, SRC will increase the salary of the majority and minority leaders from Ksh216,563 to Ksh231,722 in the 2023/2024 financial year and the amount increase to Ksh204,717 in the 2024/2025 financial year.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, a representative from SRC confirmed that the commission was preparing a pay rise for MCAs as well as other state officers but remained mum on the actual amount.
The Commission's highly placed source also maintained that the estimates would be made public in June 2023.
“Yes, it is true there will be a pay rise but it is not only for MCAs but all state officers,” he told Kenyans.co.ke.
On how much would be the increase, he stated, “I cannot say that for now. SRC will have a presser in June 2023 to brief Kenyans on the increased salaries.”
On Wednesday, May 3, during an inaugural meeting at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, MCAs gave President William Ruto a 14-day ultimatum to have their salaries reviewed.
