MCAs Threaten Assembly Boycott Over Pay and Benefits Dispute
Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) across Kenya have announced plans to boycott sittings next week in protest over stalled pay, pension, and ward fund allocations. The move, spearheaded by the Association of Members of County Assemblies (AMCA), comes after Kenya Kwanza leadership, through UDA Secretary-General Cleophas Malala, directed MCAs to abandon the planned adjournments.
AMCA Secretary-General and Naivasha East MCA Stanley Karanja dismissed the directive, emphasizing that the protest is about the welfare of MCAs and not party politics. All county assemblies will close down next week. The County Assembly Forum that is composed of Speakers is misleading the government despite earning a lot and doing little at the assemblies, Karanja said. Other MCAs, including Viwandani’s Mwangi Muraya and Eburru-Mbaruk’s Michael Gathanwa, echoed the call, citing the need to reinstate previous salary levels, provide pensions, and secure dedicated ward funds.
The MCAs argue that their current salary of Sh86,000 is insufficient compared to the previous Sh165,000, which was cut following directives from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC). Lakeview MCA Alex Mbugua also highlighted the disparity in benefits, noting that while other elected leaders have pension schemes, MCAs remain excluded. The protest underscores growing frustration among legislators who feel sidelined in financial and policy considerations and signals a potential standoff with the national government if their demands are not addressed.