Former Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo has challenged the media to probe what Cabinet Secretaries take home per month in terms of basic salaries and allowances.
Speaking during an interview on NTV on Tuesday, the lawmaker said that there is no way media houses can insist on determining how much MPs earn when CSs are pocketing a lot of money.
"This debate cannot make sense if the media is not probing what Cabinet Secretaries are earning,” he said.
He also recalled his days as MP when he would go home and people would think he was the government. He noted that working as MP is not as easy as most Kenyans think.
The politician said that there are too many expectations from society, which makes it hard for lawmakers to accept pay cuts.
Midiwo also said that taking away the salaries of lawmakers or civil servants is not a way to make the economy better. He advised the government to consider ways of handling corruption in a bid to grow the country.
The politician further said that MPs deserve better pay for better service delivery back at home.
"The country's high wage bill will not be resolved by taking away peoples salaries, it can be resolved by cutting away the rotten meat,” he added.
His remarks come after it emerged that MPs want to be paid to attend night parliamentary sessions.