The Kenya Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners Union (KEHPHPU) has raised concern over the recent hike in monthly mileage allowances for Members of Parliament (MPs).

While citing the hike as unfair, the union emphasizes that while legislators receive financial boosts, health professionals continue to grapple with heavy workloads, inadequate compensation, and poor working conditions.

KEHPHPU Secretary-General Brown Ashira, in a statement, lamented that preventable diseases such as Malaria, Tuberculosis, and Cholera persist due to insufficient funding for public health initiatives, yet resources are readily available for lawmakers' salary increments.

Ashira's remarks come in response to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) approving an increase in MPs' monthly mileage allowance by Sh366,011, effective April 1, 2025.

This adjustment will cost taxpayers an additional Sh152.3 million per month, amounting to KSh1.83 billion annually.

Over the next 29 months, the cumulative cost is expected to hit Sh4.4 billion, sparking debate over the government's spending priorities, particularly the allocation of funds to legislators' benefits while essential sectors like healthcare remain underfunded.

Ashira called on President William Ruto and other government leaders to reassess budget allocations, emphasizing the need to channel more resources into public health.

He urged the government to prioritize improving working conditions and ensuring adequate funding for healthcare professionals.