Kisii Senator Onyonka denies requesting pay rise
I am complaining because you can't give me what I didn't ask for. An MCA right now is earning Ksh.81,000, and you are making my salary Ksh.1 million? Don't you see that dysfunctionality?"
Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka has criticized the government, attributing the misuse of taxpayers’ funds to weak leadership.
In an interview with Citizen TV on Wednesday, the senator expressed deep frustration over what he described as the State’s tendency to endorse unreasonable financial plans while neglecting critical sectors that have been underfunded for years.
Onyonka also took issue with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission’s (SRC) recent decision to grant Members of Parliament a fixed monthly mileage allowance of Ksh.366,011 starting April 1, calling it unjustifiable.
He stated that the funds—which he claims he doesn't require—would be more beneficial if directed to Members of the County Assembly (MCAs), who have been complaining about inadequate salaries.
"When everybody talks about let's have a Ward fund, we allow county governments and their assemblies to do their job. What do we do? You see somebody in Treasury and my colleagues in the National Assembly went and decided to increase our salaries, and I never asked for a salary increment," he said.
"I am complaining because you can't give me what I didn't ask for. An MCA right now is earning Ksh.81,000, and you are making my salary Ksh.1 million? Don't you see that dysfunctionality?"
Onyonka noted that the Kenyan Constitution has been intentionally disregarded, with some leaders choosing to exploit devolved systems, thereby hindering development in the counties.
"Some structures have been intentionally rendered ineffective for reasons best known to those involved," he added.
A letter from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to the Secretary of the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) revealed that the proposed changes were approved during an SRC meeting held on March 20, 2025.
Back in January 2025, Members of Parliament lobbied for a salary increase from Ksh.725,502 to Ksh.739,600, even as ordinary Kenyans continued to struggle with a soaring cost of living.
While welcoming the newly appointed SRC commissioners during a parliamentary session, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah remarked that the previous commissioners had halted MPs’ pay rise following the Gen Z protests, despite the process being constitutionally mandated.
He cautioned the incoming commissioners against taking similar actions.
"They wanted to play populist politics and pit MPs against the members of the public when they published the normal annual increment of MPs during the Gen Z protests. MPs like other Kenyans deserve a pay rise," Ichung'wah remarked.
Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) are pushing for a significant pay hike of 700%, calling it the minimum adjustment the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) should implement.
Speaking on the closing day of the 5th County Assembly Summit held in Nairobi, the MCAs argued that their current salaries no longer correspond with the increasing demands and responsibilities of their roles.
They also called for the establishment of the Ward Development Fund and demanded financial independence from the County Executive.
According to the MCAs, these changes are critical for enhancing their ability to provide oversight and deliver essential services effectively.