United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General Cleophas Malala on Monday, June 26, offered a ray of hope to Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) clamouring for a salary increase.
Appearing for an interview at Radio Citizen, Malala remarked that plans were underway to set aside money for the exercise.
The UDA Secretary General remarked that with austerity measures within the county assemblies, it is possible to give MCAs substantial salary increases.
“We are going to get money for that. We can adjust some spending within the counties to raise the needed amount,” Malala stated.
The UDA secretary general suggested that the money could be raised by cutting the amount MCAs spent on hospitality and seminars.
Malala, therefore, advised the Commission for Revenue Authority (CRA) to look at the county assemblies’ budget ceilings in an effort to release more funds toward salaries.
“If we need the MCAs to do their representation, oversight and legislation roles properly, we have to give them a decent salary,” Malala threw his support behind the MCAs appeal.
He added that he had already written to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) requesting a roundtable discussion concerning the matter.
The former senator, however, warned that the government will not be blackmailed into revising the MCAs' salaries.
“We will not agree with the decision to shut down counties. I have already written to all majority leaders in counties warning them that they should not paralyse operations,” he stated.
Malala's remarks came just days after Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua insisted on Thursday, June 22, that the government did not have money to meet the MCA’s demands.
Gachagua had warned the MCAs that they knew the amount payable before vying and it was hypocritical for them to make fresh demands just months into the office.
“You can put sufurias on your head and throw other tantrums but we do not have money to give you,” he stated.
SRC had allocated Ksh10,000 pay rise to MCAs for the 2023/2024 Financial Year which the ward representatives rejected.
