Former First Lady Mama Ngina Kenyatta is one of the ex-state officials whose movements are facilitated by taxpayers, local daily reports.
Official documents from the Presidency indicate that Mama Ngina receives Sh568, 218 monthly at taxpayers’ expense for being the spouse of Kenya’s first President, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, who died in 1978.
Mama Ngina has been receiving the perks even before his son, Uhuru Kenyatta became President in 2013.
The salary, it has emerged, is 40 per cent of the current salary the sitting president pockets - Sh1.7 million monthly.
“Ideally, this law cannot be applied retrospectively. The former First Lady, while deserving State pension or gratuity, is not entitled to a government pay when the Act is applied strictly,” a lawyer said in confidence.
According to the Retirement Benefits Act, spouses to retired or dead Presidents, are entitled to the pension.
“Spouse benefits upon the death of a serving President or of a retired President who is in receipt of or who is entitled to a pension under this Act, his surviving spouse shall be entitled to benefits amounting to fifty percent of such pension,” says the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act.
Mama Ngina, 86, still runs the show at State House and is said to have been instrumental in President Uhuru Kenyatta's handshake with Raila Odinga.
The former First Lady is, however, rarely seen in functions. He attended Mzee Jomo Kenyatta's memorial in August at Parliament Buildings.
Currently, retired Presidents Daniel Moi and Mwai Kibaki received 80 per cent of President Uhuru Kenyatta's current pay.