Kenyans on Twitter (KoT) have been discussing the exorbitant mileage claims paid in the year 2018/2019 to Members of National Assembly.
Mileage claims is paid to MPs for journey’s made to execute their mandate.
In July 2017, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) gazetted new remuneration structure for State officers that proposed a reduction in legislator’s basic salary and scrapping of five allowances including mileage claims.
However, this was overturned later and the blatant waste of public resources using fraudulent claims continued unabated.
It was reported that out of the travel budget, MPs spent Sh2.2 billion on domestic travels in the first nine months of 2018/19 compared to Sh1.1 billion over similar period the previous financial year.
Implementation of the SRC’s salary reviews was halted by the High Court in December 2017, allowing Parliament to revert to paying MPs the higher salaries and perks as well as offering them the scrapped Sh5 million car grant.
In the leaked documents on Mileage claims, blogger Robert Alai asks Kenyans to inquire from their MPs ‘how much in Mileage he/she claims from the National Assembly’
KoT joined the conversation sharing their opinion on the fraud committed in the name of representing them.
Some things to note is that Kenyan MPs are paid a lot of money compared to some well-off countries in the world. Ours (Kenya) is not a well-off country.
On top of salary and mileage allowance, each MP is paid fixed maintenance car allowance of Sh356,525 per month.
A two time MP from Turkana, Daniel Nanok of Turkana West received Sh17.4 million in 2018 and 2019 in mileage claims.
Adan Keynan, the Secretary of the Jubilee Parliamentary Group claimed Sh21 million both in 2018 and 2019, his Wajir North counterpart Ahmed Abdisalan Ibrahim claimed Sh25 million.
Bomet County women representative Joyce Korir holds the record for the highest mileage claims at Sh43.6 million.
Truly without deceit, a political career is the only thing that pays in this country. This is a place where lazy rich men go to shout to the youths about ‘start your own business’ or become an entrepreneur yet these same MPs support some backward policies and pass some draconian and stupid laws such as those contained in the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act.
Appalling.
Here are some observations
https://twitter.com/3rdworldsarcasm/status/1288026425677807618?s=20
Whats all this money for? This mpigs do not even set foot after the elections #MileageFraudKE
— BukChi (@ZXQCJ) July 28, 2020
https://twitter.com/LangatGodwin_LG/status/1288039851615559682?s=20
MPs are claiming Ksh 2m per month on mileages, 40% more than their salaries!
If you have no electricity, good roads etc in your Village, you're the problem, gang up with your team to his/her office and demand. It's your right!#MileageFraudKE
— F.M (@FrancisMunyoki_) July 28, 2020
Ksh. 43M in 52 trips means Ksh.826K per trip. Where did this MP travel to? Maybe they have their justifications… which I would highly doubt! #MileageFraudKE
— Collins Ogutu (@CKogutu) July 28, 2020
Good evening class!
At Sh.109 per km (AA rate), Sh43m is 395,000km. Distance to moon 384,000. Alienda further than the moon! Says @KagemaFrancis.
Discuss (25 Marks)#PoliticalEducationKE pic.twitter.com/JCtNDOaOSK
— Mwarimū Mūtemi wa Kīama (@MutemiWaKiama) July 29, 2020
On Twitter, the mileage claims is being discussed under the hashtag #MileageFraudKE. Below are some of the mileage claims, check and see where your MP ranks.
