Taxpayers will now have to pay MCAs Sh 4.2 billion for the seven months they will not be in office after this year’s general election.
This comes after High Court judge Edward Muriithi yesterday ruled that each of the 2,450 members of county assemblies will pocket Sh1.7 million for no work done and with the court’s protection.
“The duty to pay for the loss of income suffered by the MCAs must be borne by the taxpayer. MCAs suffer a reduced opportunity to remain in office for the full term of their constitutional tenure consistently with their right to hold office, and for that reason, they are entitled to compensation for the income during this period,” stated Justice Muriithi in his ruling.
According to Justice Muriithi, MCAs should have left office on March 5, 2018, if they were allowed to serve their full term. He said the 1,450 elected MCAs will have an unexpired term if they exit on August 8, and the only way to resolve the issue is by paying them since as per the constitution the election date cannot be changed.
The County Assembly lawyers Walter Amoko, John Mbaluto, and Charles Njenga, claimed that by holding the August 8 elections its members’ term in office had been illegally reduced.
“The public may understandably feel aggrieved that it is required to meet salaries and emoluments for MCAs for the period for which they did not provide service as office holders.” Said Murriithi
He ruled that they should not receive the money in a lump sum and that it will be paid out on a monthly basis.