MCAs Salaries and Allowances in Kenya. This is what an MCA Earns
Kenyan Members of County Assembly’s MCAs are among the well paid elected members of counties in Kenya and in around the world. So how much exactly does an MCA take home each month in terms of monthly salary and allowances included?
The salary of an MCA totals up to over 100,000 and additionally each member of county assembly is entitled to monthly allowances ranging from sitting allowances, mileage, airtime perks, medical allowances house allowances just to mention but a few. Besides the heavy allowances each MCA is entitled to Members of County assemblies were recently granted a car grant by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The salary structure of MCAs, Civil Servants, MPs, Senators, Teachers, and other civil servants in Kenya is determined by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRS). According to the new salary scales released by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC). A Kenyan MCAs is entitled to a monthly salary of Sh. 165,000, Sh. 5,000 for airtime, sitting allowance of Sh. 5,000 per session, monthly mileage allowance of Sh. 39,800 for intra county travel, as well as per diems for local and foreign trips.
This brings the monthly benefits offered to Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) to have for the first time crossed the Sh. 500,000 mark, underlining the taxpayer’s burden of keeping the ward representatives comfortable.
2019 Data from the Controller of Budget shows that MCAs’ average salary, allowances and benefits rose to Sh. 547,146 I up from Sh451,827 in a similar period a year earlier – reflecting a 21 percent increase. This may explain why MCA position is one of the most sought after elective position in Kenya.
The SRC had in July 2017 cut the monthly pay of MCAs to Sh. 144,375, abolished the monthly mileage and sitting allowances and lowered per diem rates, drawing protests from the MCAs. The high court would later reinstate the earnings of the MCAs to the initial figures.
Kenya has a total of 2,242 Members of county assemblies spread out in the 47 counties.
Breakdown of MCA salary and allowances in Kenya
- Monthly salary—Ksh.165,000
- Monthly airtime—Ksh. 5,000
- Sitting allowance—Ksh.5,000 per session
- Monthly mileage allowance—Ksh. 39,800
- Per diem of local and foreign travel-Ksh.150,000 per month on average
While the MCA earn hefty amount monthly, the allowances entitled to each MCA varies depending on various factors. This means that MCAs do not take hone uniform salaries at the end of the month.
Nationally, Narok ward representatives received the highest benefits with each MCA costing the county an average of Sh765,635 a month, ahead of Taita Taveta (Sh722,292) and Machakos (Sh719,867). The Least paid MCAs are Bungoma MCAs with an average benefit of Sh270,005 a month, trailing their Narok counterparts three times.
Roles and duties of a Member of County Assembly
- To maintain close contact with the electorate and consults them on important matters before or under discussion in the County Assembly.
- To present views, opinions, and proposals of the electorate to the County Assembly;
- To attend sessions of the County Assembly and its committees;
- To provides a linkage between the county assembly and the electorate on public service delivery; and
- To extend professional knowledge, experience, or specialized knowledge to an issue for discussion in the County Assembly
- The MCA should not directly or indirectly be involved in the executive functions of the County Government and its administration; or in the delivery of services as if the Member in question were an officer or employee of the County Government
That said under done, it is good to not that MCA position is a ward elective position with each term lasting 5 years as stipulated in the Kenyan constitution.
Read>>>>Kenya Members of Parliament Salaries and Allowances
Qualifications to vie for MCA position
Here are the qualifications that one must meet to be able to vie for an MCA position in Kenya
- Unless disqualified under clause
- A person is eligible for election as a member of a county assembly (MCA) if the person is;
- Registered as a voter;
- Satisfies and meets any educational, moral, and ethical requirements prescribed by the Constitution or an Act of Parliament; and
- is either –
(i) Nominated by a political party; or
(ii) An independent candidate supported by at least five hundred registered voters in the ward concerned.
- A person is disqualified from being elected a member of a county assembly if the person;
- Is a State officer or other public officer, other than a member of the county assembly;
- Has, at any time within the five years immediately before the date of the election, held office as a member of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission;
- Has not been a citizen of Kenya for at least the ten years immediately preceding the date of the election;
- Is of unsound mind;
- Is an undischarged bankrupt;
- Is serving a sentence of imprisonment of at least six months; or
- Has been found, in accordance with any law, to have misused or abused a State office or public office or to have contravened Chapter Six.
- A person is not disqualified under clause.
- Unless all possibility of appeal or review of the relevant sentence or decision has been exhausted.
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