Taxpayers part with Sh15.7b annually to pay MPs as medical doctors take home peanuts

Kenyatta National Hospital and University of Nairobi Consultants totalling 300 when they announced withdrawal of all services rendered at KNH and both public and private wings.

A Member of Parliament in Kenya takes home Sh1.1 million, an MCA Sh300,000 while the highest paid doctor earns Sh328,000.

The Sh1.1 million for an MP or senator includes mileage, travelling, sitting, responsibility and pension allowances.

The highest paid practising doctor goes home with a minimum of Sh328,000 inclusive of leave days while an intern pockets Sh127,000.

For interns, basic salary stands at a minimum of Sh35,000, and when they get promoted to a medical officer they earn just Sh6,000 more.

The highest paid doctor at job group T has his basic salary at a minimum of Sh152,000.

For legislators, taxpayers part with Sh15.7 billion annually to cater for ' salaries, allowances and grants. According to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), MCAs are paid Sh300,000, including allowances.

There are 416 MPs and senators (349 MPs and 67 Senators) including nominated ones. There are 1,450 elected MCAs. MPs earn Sh850,000 per month without allowances. SRC had set an MP's salary at Sh532,000, but they refused and threatened not to transact any business until their salaries were increased.

Parliamentary committee chairpersons earn Sh10,000 per sitting while their deputies earn Sh8,000 per session. The MPs are entitled to Sh109 per kilometre for up to 750 kilometres per week. SRC had limited committee sessions to 16 per month, meaning an MP could earn a maximum of Sh80,000 per month. But this is not adhered to as MPs can have as many sittings as possible to draw more in allowances.

The lawmakers also get grants of Sh5 million each to buy luxury cars and mortgages of up to Sh20 million, which they pay at a rate of three per cent. They also get constituency allowance, house allowance, extraneous duty allowance and entertainment allowance.

Additional benefits for legislators include medical cover of Sh10 million for in-patient, Sh100,000 out-patient, Sh100,000 for maternity, Sh120,000 for dental, Sh20,000 for optical and Sh100,000 last expense/funeral cover.

MCAs earn a monthly salary of Sh123,750 and mileage, sitting, special assembly duty, car loan and mortgage allowance. An MCA gets a mileage allowance of Sh32,528 that is Sh109 per kilometre for vehicles between 2000cc and 3000cc.

Those whose representation area is beyond 45 kilometres return journey are allowed to claim an extra mileage at application Automobile Association of Kenya (AA) rates.

MCAs who serve in committees get Sh3,900 per sitting for a maximum of eight sittings per week. Chairpersons earn Sh6,500 per session while their deputies get Sh5,000.

They get mortgage of Sh2 million. The minimum package for an MCA is Sh185,200, while the highest is Sh217,000 if they do the maximum eight sittings per week.

SRC had set MCAs' sitting allowance at Sh124,000 but some county governments pay more.

A study by the UK-based Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority and International Monetary Fund found that a Kenyan MP's salary, minus allowances, is 76 times Kenya's GDP per capita of Sh84,624.