Members of Parliament will not return Sh2.1 million that they received as rent arrears backdated to September last year, Borabu MP Ben Momanyi has vowed.
Salaries and Renumeration Commission has moved to court seeking to have the MPs return the money on grounds that the payments were unconstitutional.
But Mr Momanyi, who sits in Parliamentary Service Commission, said on Friday that the MPs deserve the pay rise, adding that most of them live in abject poverty.
"MPs will not return a single penny to Treasury. Those pushing for that should just forget it. All other state officers are paid house allowances, what's the crime when it comes to MPs? he wondered.
Mr Momanyi, who was speaking in Borabu on Friday, asked locals to support MPs bid for house allowances, arguing that most of it is used in development.
"Infact, the little I received, I have been giving it out to various churches and schools. We are not corrupt. Only that we take the money back to the people," he said.
He asked Speaker Justine Muturi to stand firm over the payment, warning that SRC could be tamed if they can't 'respect MPs'.
Already, MPs want to reduce the salary for SRC to Sh50,000 per sitting, arguing that their job should not be full time.
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