MP Ichung’wah Tells Colleagues Not To Be Intimidated By Voters
Kimani Ichung’wah, a Kikuyu MP, has urged his colleagues in both the National Assembly and the Senate to join the Parliamentary Pension Scheme to safeguard their future whenever they retire or lose their seats.
The majority leader approved a proposed amendment to increase monthly contributions, calling it noteworthy since it will allow parliamentarians to retire with financial stability.
He was speaking on Friday during the discussion over the Parliamentary Pensions (Amendment) Bill.
“I know many Members of Parliament are usually threatened especially around this time, you’d be told ‘utaenda nyumbani 2027’ yet you go home every day,” he said.
“You go home every day, so nobody should threaten you that you will go home. The question you should ask yourself when you are here, the day you are not serving as a Member of Parliament, how shall things be for you?”
Kimani Ichung'wa AKA Kariuki Chotara is seems prepared and ready to go home in 2027. Lakini amejipanga!! pic.twitter.com/hircYDoRJR
— Dan Nyagah (@dan_nyagah) November 29, 2024
Ichung’wah stated that financial security will give MPs a sense of self-confidence, and they will not be intimidated by threats from voters to send them home at the next election.
“You will go home and continue living your life as you lived when you were a Member of Parliament. Take care of your pension, contibute even to NSSF if you can contribute more because that is what will take care of you when you are not working.”
Ichung’wah stated that if MPs saved as much as they could during active duty, threats from voters would not send chills down their spines, and they would be able to preserve their lifestyles.
“A time will come when you could also choose to retire, you don’t have to go home because somebody threatened you or decided you are no longer useful. And when you choose, it’s what you contributed to the pension that will take care of you.”
Ichung’wah told MPs, particularly young ones, to prepare for life beyond Parliament because they will inevitably have to retire at some point, even if they are re-elected often.
He stated that many former MPs who are now elderly receive a monthly stipend of Sh2,500 under the cash transfer system, which would not be the case if they had a solid pension scheme.
“So nobody should start peddling rumours and propaganda out there that what we are doing is giving ourselves more money because when the public listens to anything they hear parliamentary especially when you talk about Parliamentary Pensions Scheme, they imagine Members of Parliament are getting more money,” Ichung’wah said.
“There’s not a penny that shall come from public coffers to support this scheme.”
The majority leader stressed that the Parliamentary Pension program is not supported by public monies, but rather by a contributory program in which members contribute money from their salaries.
The Parliamentary Pensions (Amendment) Bill, sponsored by MP Makali Mulu, is in its second reading.
Ichung’wah advocated reforms to make the pension program elective, allowing MPs who do not return to Parliament to continue contributing and potentially gain more from gratuity.
As things stand, members who quit after only one term are only entitled to what they saved while on active duty.
The Kikuyu MP also supported measures that would allow MPs to access their funds before the age of 45, which is now required.
“The honourable Toto was elected at 24, meaning even if she is elected for three terms, she will still be below 45 years. After three terms she will have to wait for another six years to access her pension,” stated Inchung’wah.
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“You may fall ill or be faced with an accident that incapacitates you and you’re not able to work but you have a pension that is being kept by an administrator but you cannot access it.
“You may even die before you get to 45 and you leave your money to be enjoyed by others.”
Ichung’wah also proposed that they introduce an amendment to have the Parliamentary Pension Scheme administered in Parliament by the Parliamentary Service Commission.
“They will relate better to the needs of Members of Parliament than those in the National Treasury. When you leave and you are old you find that it’s your children who are now in the National Treasury, they will not care who you are.”
MP Ichung’wah Tells Colleagues Not To Be Intimidated By Voters
