Lower qualifications to attract low pay, Muturi tells MPs

 

National assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has lashed out at MPs over the lowering of academic qualifications.

Speaking during an interview on NTV on Monday, Muturi said the MPs are to blame if the Salaries and Remuneration Commission decides to slash their salaries.

MPs had championed the lowering of academic qualifications to a post-secondary school certificate for Parliamentary aspirants.

Senators also backed a bill scrapping the requirement of a degree for both MP and MCA aspirants. 

"If their salaries go down, they will have themselves to blame because they are the ones who are proposing to lower the standards and qualifications," Muturi said.

"If you want people who cannot read what is contained in a budget speech to go to Parliament then SRC is at liberty to say 'if they can't read what is contained in the budget speech, why should we pay them so much?' SRC will be justified."

He said they will implement the post-secondary certificate but they must bear in mind that SRC will be looking at it.

"If you set a very low benchmark, don't then complain of what kind of salary SRC is going to recommend for your members," he said.

Last week, the High Court ruled that aspirants seeking to become MPs on August 9, 2022, General Election do not require university degrees.

Justice Anthony Mrima ruled that Section  22(1)(b) (i) of the Elections Act which requires MPs to have degrees is unconstitutional.   BY THE STAR