Kenyas parlamentsmedlemmer har bevilget sig selv en ekstraordinær bonus, som svarer til 61 års løn for en almindelige kenyaner – folk er vrede og forbitrede og kalder politikerne for tyveknægte.
Angry demonstrators in Kenya have marched to parliament chanting “mwizi”, which means thief in KiSwahili, when any Member of Parliament drives by, to protest about a huge bonus MPs have voted to award themselves, BBC online reports Tuesday.
Lawmakers in Kenya are among the highest paid MPs in Africa, receiving a salary of about 10.000 US dollar a month.
The bonus of more than 105.000 dollar each (ca. 600.000 DKR) is to be paid when parliament breaks up ahead of elections due in March 2013.
Tax increases are likely in order to foot the 23 million dollar bill.
The revelation about the send-off bonus for the 222 MPs has angered many people, coming as it does after strikes in the public sector.
It was passed late on Thursday night as part of a last-minute amendment to the Finance Act.
In September all schools were closed for three weeks and public hospitals only took emergencies as demands were made for better pay and working conditions.
And someone earning the minimum wage in Kenya would have to work for 61 years to earn the equivalent of an MP’s proposed bonus.
The change to the Finance Act still needs to be signed into law by Mr Mwai Kibaki – who stands down as president next year after two terms in office, BBC notes.
