Ruto pledges perks to Kenya Kwanza MCAs
President William Ruto yesterday moved yesterday to quell disquiet among Kenya Kwanza Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) by promising improved perks.
There had been murmurs of discontent after President Ruto met Jubilee Party MCAs last month, sparking murmurs of discontent from the Kenya Kwanza MCAs who protested his failure to hold a similar meeting with them.
At State House Nairobi during a meeting, also attended by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, the MCAs gave the president a raft of demands they needed him to address during the current term.
Independent pension scheme
Top on the agenda was pension for the MCAs which the Head of State promised that it will be implemented once the bill currently before the Senate is passed.
The ward representatives have been pushing for an independent pension scheme to benefit those who serve for two years and over.
“The president promised to have pensions for us implemented after the County Pension bill which is before the Senate is passed, we are optimistic that it will succeed,” said an MCA who attended the meeting.
The MCAs also wanted the President to use his authority to push for the entrenchment of the Ward Development Fund to the constitution, the same as the NGCDF.
On this, Ruto said the issue of Ward Fund was part of the NADCO report which was currently before parliament and will be a process before it is enacted.
“The team will be coming to you for public participation after that it will be subjected to a referendum, you come out and give your views,” the President reportedly told the grassroots leaders.
On the issue of plenary allowances, which were abolished by the Salary and Remuneration Commission (SRC), President Ruto promised that he will talk to the commission to review the allowances.
The MCAs said they want the County Pension Bill, which has stuck in Parliament for some time, fast tracked to enable counties move their staff from the current non-contributory arrangement to a contributory pension’s administrator.
Unlike the local authorities before them that had Local Authorities Pension Trust and another defined contribution scheme named Lapfund, which were always plagued by delays in release of workers’ deductions, the MCAs are pushing for an arrangement that could allow counties to choose their preferred scheme administrators.
On the Ward Development Fund, the MCAs want the allocations to be made to them since they are the ones who interact directly with people at the grassroots.
President Ruto told the ward reps that the government is implementing a host of programmes aimed at transforming the lives of Kenyans. He cited subsidised fertiliser, universal healthcare, and housing and ICT hubs, among others.
Noting that some farmers have not received subsidised fertiliser because they are unregistered, the President asked MCAs to mobilise them for registration in their wards.
“We will make sure that every region gets adequate fertiliser. Our goal is to increase food production and eradicate hunger,” he said.
Fresh produce markets
He made the remarks on Monday during the Kenya Kwanza Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) consultative meeting at State House, Nairobi.
President Ruto explained to MCAs that the government is building 500 fresh produce markets across the country, and equipping them with cold rooms in an effort to reduce post-harvest losses.
To address the serious national challenge of unemployment, the President said the government is implementing housing, ICT hubs, Special Economic Zones and export of labour programmes.
On health, the President said four laws have been enacted to smoothen the way for the implementation of universal health coverage, thus guaranteeing access to quality healthcare.
“We must always remember that delivering to the people is our mandate,” the President said.
The President said the Kenya Kwanza administration is committed to changing the politics of the country by keeping its promises to the people.
He said that it was no longer fashionable for leaders to give and then break promises after being elected.
“We are going to implement our manifesto to the letter. As leaders at the grassroots, let us focus on the delivery of our plan,” he said.
The President told the MCAs that Kenyans are fed up with ethnic and tribal politics, adding that they are interested in issue-based politics.
He pointed out that he was not elected President because of the size of his community, but on the ideas, he presented to Kenyans.
