The Nairobi county Assembly chambers. [Photo/nation.co.ke]
The average monthly sitting allowance paid to Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) increased to Sh113, 336 in the year to June.
Garissa county tops the list of high earners.
According to Controller of Budget Agnes Odhiambo, each MCA took home an average Sh113,336 per month in sitting allowances, a 9.7 per cent increase from the Sh103,583 earned in a similar period the previous year.
MCA sitting allowance in Garissa, Homa Bay and Trans Nzoia counties surpassed the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) recommended monthly cap of Sh124,800.
“The County Assemblies that reported higher expenditure on sitting allowance than the SRC’s recommended monthly maximum are Garissa (Sh133,930), Homa Bay (Sh130,210) and Trans Nzoia (Sh124,930),” said Ms Odhiambo.
The three were followed by Murang’a (Sh121,543) and West Pokot (Sh118,400). During their first year in office which ended June 2014, the ward representatives earned an average Sh82,712 a month in sitting allowances.
That amount rose steadily in the subsequent years to cross the Sh100,000 mark. Vihiga MCAs earned the least sitting allowance with each taking home Sh21,521 a month. It was followed by Mandera (Sh36,237), Kajiado (Sh44,228), Wajir (Sh44,630) and Nairobi (Sh57,322).