Mps from far-flung areas stand to lose hefty mileage allowances as Parliament starts implementation of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission audit report on the House’s financial systems.
The EACC audit was handed to National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi in December last year, detailing massive misappropriation of public funds by legislators.
Among the areas the Parliamentary Service Commission began to address from late last month include the much-abused mileage claims by MPs, mainly from the Coast and Northeastern.
They will now be required to provide evidence in parliamentary records that they used the vehicles to access their constituencies.
Those who fly will be compensated as per the air ticket price.
If implemented in full, MPs may lose the Sh7,500 sitting allowance paid when they attend their regular business in the Chamber.
It has been argued the MPs should not be given allowances for the job they are employed to do.
Committee members are likely to have their Sh7,500 before tax sitting allowance drastically slashed, amid claims that the majority of the 349 members go to committees just to sign and leave for the next committee immediately.
Committee chairmen are paid Sh15,000 and vice chairpersons Sh10,000 before tax.
The Standing Orders allow legislators to be members of up to two portfolio committees.
The PSC has already organised a workshop with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission between March 11 and 12, to discuss how the matter will be addressed.
“It’s an open secret that the mileage claim has been the most abused by the members, but this will change for the better,” a parliamentary senior staffer told the Star yesterday.
MPs are allowed to seek reimbursement for the expenses they incur when they travel to and from their constituencies every Friday, whether the House is in session or on recess.
However, this gesture has been abused, with the majority opting to fly to their areas instead of using their vehicles on which the mileage claim is premised, or just remain in the city and later file for the refund.
The audit also showed that some MPs claimed the travel allowances even when they were out of the country.
The staffer also noted that MPs have been trading the mileage claim as security for their mortgage facilities valued at Sh20 million.
They are also pushing the PSC to adopt the Sh35 million offered by the SRC.
“They are treating the mileage claim as an earning – which is wrong. It is supposed to be a compensation, not security for loans,” he said.