MPs expenses “selfish and inconsiderate” Archbishop charges: The Church of England Newspaper, June 9, 2013, p 6.

The Archbishop of Kenya has denounced plans by the country’s MPs to boost their salaries in defiance of the rules set down by the East African country’s Constitution.

In a statement released last week the Most Rev. Eliud Wabukala said the unanimous vote in Parliament to raise salaries from Sh532,000  to 851,000 shillings and repeal laws that gave oversight to the Salaries and Renumeration Commission (SRC) was “selfish, inconsiderate and uncalled for.”

The archbishop’s attack on MPs salaries and expenses follows a statement issued on 24 May 2013 by the House of Bishops calling for the police to crack down on crooked politicians involved in the drugs trade

An independent nonpartisan government agency established under the Salaries & Remuneration Commission Act, 2011, the SRC last year blocked a bill giving MPs who leave office a hefty severance package and in February implemented a steep salary cut for senior government officials. Last week the SRC said the vote to increase MPs pay was unlawful and violated the Constitution.

Dr. Wabukala urged MPs to respect the constitution stating that “barely 4 months ago they agreed to ‘obey, respect, uphold, preserve, protect, and defend’ the constitution.”

By ignoring the SRC they were in “direct violation of the same. SRC has not overstepped their mandate but are operating within their scope of regularizing state officers’ remuneration. It would be unconstitutional and illegal for MPs to award themselves salaries in defiance of SRC recommendations. We applaud SRC for operating within their stipulated mandate and contributing to measures that will lower the public officers’ wage bill,” the Archbishop said.

Kenya was “undergoing a transition period inculcating devolved governance structures that will shape the nation’s social and economic well- being. Efforts and resources should be channeled to stabilize the structures for counties’ take- off; and the MPs and other legislators’ demands are derailing the process” the stated.