With much of Kenya’s economy still reeling from the onslaught of the pandemic, 60 percent of young Kenyans without full time employment, and the National Treasury’s tax receipts falling far behind the forecast returns, wananchi will no doubt be comforted to know that governors, deputy governors, assembly speakers and MCAs are to receive Sh3.54 billion in gratuities if a new law is passed.

County State Officers Pension Bill

The County State Officers Pension Bill is still to go through the county assemblies and Parliament but no one really believes they’ll do anything other than award themselves a handsome payout.

The new Bill, sponsored by the County Assemblies Forum, is designed to give departing office holders (and there’s an election coming next year) compensation for their tenure in office.

If (when) passed the Bill will provide for lump sum payments and pensions for county officers, together with the provision of luxury cars.

Of course it will be the ordinary hard-pressed Kenyan taxpayer who will have to stump up multi-millions of Shillings each year to pay for our elected leaders largesse towards themselves.

Lump Sum Payouts, Pensions and Perks

When the new Bill becomes law, each MCA will receive a payment of about Sh2.46 million; governors will receive Sh521.7 million; deputy governors Sh350.1 million; and speakers Sh147.7 million.

At present county governors are paid Sh924,000 per month in salary. With the new Bill they will get a lump sum of Sh11.1 million. But that’s not all. Each governor will also receive a pension for life of about Sh739,200 (calculated to be about 80 percent of their current salary.

Deputy governors will also receive a lump sum of about Sh7.45 million. At present they receive a salary of Sh621,250 per month. Plus of course, they too will receive a monthly pension.

In each case, if a former governor or deputy governor dies. A proportion of their pay and perks can be passed on to their spouse.

The Bill is being ‘crafted’ by County speakers, so it comes as no surprise that have awarded themselves a handsome payout.

County speakers currently receive Sh259,870 as a basic monthly salary. They will now also gat Sh3.1 million when they leave office and a monthly pension of something in the region of Sh155,925 per month.

Then there are the MCAs. Currently ‘earning’ Sh144,375, they will receive a lump sum of Sh1.7 million and a monthly pension.

County assemblies are required to consider and pass the Bill by October 25. And they will.