An Act of Parliament amending the Salaries and Remuneration Commission Act to allow members of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission to serve on a part-time basis.
| CLAUSE NO. | CONTENTS OF THE CLAUSE | OUR COMMENTS |
|---|---|---|
| Clause 2 Amendment of section 4 of Cap. 412D | Section 4 of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission Act (“the principal Act”) is amended by deleting sub-section (3) and substituting therefor the following new sub-sections: (3) The chairperson and members appointed under article 230 (2)(a), (b) and (c) shall serve on a part-time basis for a non-renewable term of six years. (4) The members appointed under article 230 (2)(d) and (e) shall serve on a part time basis. | The Bill proposes that members of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (“the Commission”) shall serve on a part-time basis. This is in line with President William Ruto’s austerity measures to reduce government spending. We disagree with this proposal and find it prudent that members of the Commission continue to serve on a full-time basis as outlined in the principal Act. The Commission’s, Secretary Anne Gitau, is on record as indicating that the Commission’s mandate is continuous and not occasional as outlined in the Bill. The following are the potential pitfalls of members serving on a part-time basis: a. issues that need immediate attention may not receive the immediate action required if members are not consistently available. This delay can be especially problematic in situations requiring urgent decision-making or crisis management; and b. the public may perceive part-time members as less committed, which could undermine confidence in their decisions, particularly when handling sensitive issues such as public remuneration. |