Covid-19 response: Muturi, Lusaka take pay cut
The two Speakers of Parliament have announced a 30 percent voluntary pay cut in response to the fight against the coronavirus crisis.
Speakers Justin Muturi (National Assembly) and Ken Lusaka (Senate) made the three-month commitment during a joint media briefing Thursday.
By Thursday afternoon members of the two Houses were yet to agree to take pay cut.
According to the a gazette notice issued by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) in July 2017, the Speakers of the National Assembly and the Senate are entitled to Sh1,155,000 in monthly gross income.
This means that Mr Muturi and Mr Lusaka will now take home Sh805,500 for the next two months.
Before the voluntary reduction is implemented, the two Speakers are required to formally write to SRC indicating their desire to have their salaries slashed.
SRC, the state agency in charge of remuneration of state and public officers, will then communicate to the National Treasury indicating the desires of the two Speakers.
“We have directed the clerks of the two Houses to write to the relevant government agencies expressing our desires to have our salaries reduced so that the proceeds can go towards the coronavirus kitty,” said Mr Lusaka.
On Wednesday, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced that he and Deputy President William Ruto have taken 80 percent in a bid to free up more funds for the fight against the deadly Covid-19 virus.
Mr Kenyatta announced the cuts, headlining a list that includes Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries.
Under the voluntary salary cuts Cabinet Secretaries will earn Sh646,000 or 30 percent less and Principal Secretaries Sh612,150 or 20 percent less per month.
The President called on other State officers to take similar cuts and free up more funds.
“In sharing the burden occasioned by the global health pandemic over the duration of the crisis and commencing immediately my administration has offered a salary reduction of the senior rank executives,” the President said.
“I call on other arms of government and tiers of government to join us in this national endeavour by making similar voluntary reductions which will free up monies to combat this pandemic.”
The confirmed Covid-19 cases in Kenya rose by three cases Wednesday, bringing the tally to 28. At least 700 people who came into contact with the patients remain under close monitoring by the Ministry of Health.
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