Nairobi, Kenya: The Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs has allayed fears that its proposed amendment to the Constitution, to remove MPs and judges from the list of State officers, is intended to grant them the leeway to set their own salaries.
In a report tabled Thursday in Parliament by committee chairman Samuel Chepkonga, the team dismissed fears expressed by various parties that presented memoranda to them opposing the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill over fears that amendments to Article 260 were meant to shield MPs’ salaries from being set by the salaries team.
Chepkonga revealed that the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights had expressed reservations on the proposed law, terming it as being done in bad faith.
Own salaries
“In their advisory, they have expressed reservations that the amendments will oust the jurisdiction of SRC and pave way for MPs to determine their own salaries,” stated the report.
He, however, revealed that the Kenya National Audit office had expressed support for the Bill, claiming that it will insulate them from activities that may compromise their independence.
“The Bill is informed by the need to uphold the doctrine of separation of powers between various arms of Government,” stated the report.
By Moses Njagih, The Standard