The National Assembly during a sitting.
Every MP will get a Sh366,011 pay increase from Tuesday, April 1, 2025, marking yet another salary bump for legislators who have made a habit of arm-twisting the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to improve their perks even as Kenyans suffer economic penury.
The salary increase will be reflected on the MPs' pay slips as a fixed monthly mileage allowance, in addition to travel reimbursement claims that the legislators file based on the distance from the capital to their rural constituencies.
With 29 months to the August 2027 General Election, the 416 MPs in the National Assembly and Senate will cost taxpayers a total of Sh4.4 billion in the period.
The MPs' allowances and reimbursement claims are paid in a lump sum on a monthly basis, on top of their Sh739,600 gross pay set by SRC in the July 27, 2022, and August 9, 202,3 gazette notices.
SRC secretary and CEO, Dr Anne Gitau, in the letter to PSC secretary and Clerk of Senate, Mr Jeremiah Nyegenye, notes that the changes were approved during SRC’s meeting held on March 20, 2025 that “deliberated on your request taking into account the principles outlined in the constitution.”
“In this regard, SRC has reviewed and hereby sets car maintenance allowance and mileage allowance for Members of Parliament,” Dr Gitau says in her March 20, 2025 letter to Mr Nyegenye.
Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) Commission Secretary Anne R. Gitau.
The Commission, however, declined to award the MPs a plenary sitting allowance and a post-retirement medical cover as it emphatically warned "any remuneration and benefits not specified" in its gazette notices "is not payable unless subsequently set by SRC."
Kenyans' burden
The new fixed mileage translates to Sh152.3 million a month and Sh1.83 billion a year cost on Kenyans.
As per the new SRC structure, all MPs whose constituencies or counties are beyond a radius of 205 kilometres from Parliament Buildings in Nairobi, will also be paid mileage claims for one return journey per week at the rate of Sh152.6 per kilometre.
Mileage allowance was until this review by SRC a benefit only enjoyed by members of the National Assembly, who were reimbursed a one return-journey in a week from parliament buildings in Nairobi to their constituencies at the rate of Sh152.6 per kilometre.
The claimable mileage allowance that expires on March 31 was zoned in two bands.
Band 1 covered MPs whose constituencies are within a distance of between zero and 350 kilometres from Parliament Buildings, who were granted a maximum return journey per week of 700 kilometres at a claimable mileage reimbursement of Sh152.6 per kilometre, translating to about Sh462,887 each.
Zone 2 covered 351 kilometres and above, with the maximum return journey per week based on actual distance at the rate of Sh152.6 kilometres.
Senators travel perks
The new structure also allows Senators to be paid mileage claims whenever they travel to their counties for their oversight functions.
“This letter supersedes any other review and setting of mileage allowance and claimable mileage allowance for members of parliament,” Dr Gitau says in the letter.
The increase will likely see MCAs and other sectors within public service agitating for pay hike at a time the country is facing challenges funding the health and the education sectors evidenced by delays in disbursing capitation amounts to public secondary schools, universities and colleges.
Some private and mission hospitals have also suspended services to Kenyans with publicly funded Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) cards citing the over Sh30 billion owed to them in legacy debts.
Clients walk towards the newly rebranded Social Health Authority(SHA) building on October 1, 2024, as the government officially rolled out the healthcare service provider.
Dr Gitau’s letter has retained all other remuneration and benefits “for State Officers in the Senate and the National Assembly,” including the car maintenance allowance, which has been retained at Sh356,525 per month in line with the August 9, 2023, gazette notice by SRC.
Article 230 (5) of the Constitution states that in performing its functions, SRC shall take into account the need to ensure that the total public compensation bill is fiscally sustainable.
The Commission also has a duty to ensure that public services are able to attract and retain the skills required “to execute their functions”, recognise productivity and performance as well as transparency and fairness.
Salary stucture
The gross pay for the legislators excludes other benefits like committee sitting allowances, special parliamentary duty allowance, and a car grant of Sh7.6 million extended once in a parliamentary term.
There is also a car loan of up to Sh8 million and mortgage benefit not exceeding Sh35 million, all granted once during a parliamentary term of an MP, attracting a subsidised monthly interest at the rate of 3 per cent, as well as medical and retirement benefits.
The car loan and mortgage facilities are recoverable within the contract term of an MP and are administered and managed centrally by the PSC.
At some point, the bad blood between the MPs and SRC almost escalated after the National Assembly inordinately delayed the approval for appointment of the SRC commissioners following their nomination by President William Ruto to replace the Lyn Mengich-led team that had served its term.
On November 26, 2024, the Labour Committee that had vetted SRC nominees recommended that the House approves them for appointment.
But on December 11, 2024, leader of majority in the National Assembly, Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu), successfully moved the House to extend the approval of the SRC nominees citing “pending issues” as it ratified the nomination for appointment of nominees to other bodies.
It was, however, until January 16, 2025, that the National Assembly finally approved the report of the Labour Committee recommending the appointment of SRC nominees.
The SRC gazetted perks for MPs include committee sitting allowance that include Sh15,000 for a committee chairperson per sitting, with a monthly capping of up to Sh240,000.
A vice-chairperson pockets Sh12,000 per sitting, up to a maximum of Sh192,000 per month. Committee members earn Sh7,500 per sitting and up to a maximum of Sh120,000 a month.
There is also a special parliamentary duty allowance of to Sh150,000 per month to MPs in the two Houses “whose duties involve added parliamentary leadership over and above the duties stipulated in one’s terms of service for which a regular salary is paid.”
This includes MPs serving as leader of majority and minority, as well as majority and minority whips in the two Houses.
“PSC shall apportion the rate of special parliamentary duty allowance to each of the designated State Officers with leadership duties in Parliament, based on seniority as provided by the Constitution, Legislation or Standing Orders,” the SRC gazette notice of August 9, 2023 states.
MPs' spouses and up to five children of below 25 years “fully dependent on the State Officer,” are entitled to an annual medical cover.
This includes inpatient cover of Sh10 million, outpatient Sh300,000, maternity Sh150,000, dental Sh100,000 and optical Sh100,000.
In addition to this is a retirement benefit reviewed and set by SRC, and group life insurance that is covered for a value equivalent to three times of the annual pensionable emoluments.
An MP also enjoys Group Personal Accident (GPA) cover equivalent to three times of the annual pensionable emoluments.
MPs also pocket attractive Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) for local and foreign travels as per the rates reviewed and set by SRC from time to time.
There is a further airtime allowance of Sh15,000 per month.
