ENTER THE GRIM REAPERS

"Election 2007: Radical plans for 94 new MPs
By Standard Reporters
A Government-created constitutional review team proposes to push the number of MPs to a record 316 — 94 more than the current 222.
Of the total, at least 90 would be women, thanks to a generous affirmative action clause aimed at righting "historical wrongs" against women.
Among the radical electoral proposals by a committee of the Multi-Sectoral Forum (MSF) is one for the creation of 20 seats for the youth, people with disabilities, trade unions, ethnic minorities and pastoralists. Of these, 10 seats must also be taken by women as would six of 12 seats currently for nominated MPs. This is according to a document the Multi-Sectoral Steering Committee (MSC) is scheduled to hand over to Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Martha Karua tomorrow.
The MSC — co-chaired by Kanu politician Dalmas Otieno and Health minister Charity Ngilu — was constituted by Karua to make proposals on how to resolve the contentious issues in the rejected draft constitution of 2005.
The MSC document, a copy of which The Standard has, also recommends that out of the 22 remaining Electoral Commission of Kenya commissioners, at least three be retained for institutional memory.
Christened the "November Package", the proposals have serious implications for the Kenyan taxpayers, who would be asked to fork out a further Sh69 million a month to maintain the new MPs.
Although the raft of proposed constitutional reforms is meant to level the playing field and "right historical wrongs" ahead of next year’s General Election, it is likely to raise the question of whether Kenya can afford the structure of representative democracy it proposes.
The package — expected to be tabled in Parliament this month — is to be presented to the Karua-led MSF tomorrow.
Currently, according to a recent payslip of an ordinary MP (which The Standard has acquired), an MP earns a gross pay of Sh730,000 per month.
An MP’s basic salary is Sh200,000; a minimum commuted mileage of Sh75,000; an entertainment allowance of Sh60,000; an extraneous allowance pegged at Sh30,000; a house allowance of Sh70,000 and a motor vehicle fixed cost of Sh247,000.
With an additional 94 MPs, the parliamentary payroll would amount to at least Sh231.4 million per month.
However, the total amount would be far higher considering that the Vice-President, Official Leader of the Opposition, Ministers, Assistant Ministers, whips and Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) members are paid extra allowances, sometimes amounting to Sh300,000 each per month.
The reforms package also proposes the entrenchment in the current Constitution of the review process, the independence of ECK and the parliamentary calendar.
The MSC agreed that ECK should have nine commissioners although initially, there was a stalemate on the mode of selecting them.
Later, it was resolved that each of the nine commissioners would be picked by a 75 per cent consensus vote in the Parliamentary Departmental Committee on Administration of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
Each candidate would then need a 65 per cent majority of all MPs when the names are tabled before the House.
A simple majority would carry the day where two successive votes have yielded no successful candidate.
The current ECK is headed by Mr Samuel Kivuitu and has 28 commissioners.
The Government has been uncomfortable with the current ECK and has ignored Kivuitu’s call for the replacement of commissioners whose terms have expired.
According to the new proposals, interested commissioners would have to apply directly to the Clerk of the National Assembly.
Successful applicants would be in office for only one term of seven years.
If the proposals go through, all future ECK chairmen must have the qualifications of a High Court judge while other commissioners must have at least a university degree.
The vice-chairman would be picked from among the eight remaining commissioners.
The committee also resolved that the next Parliament would have independent candidates — presidential, parliamentary and civic.
However, an independent presidential candidate — like party-nominated presidential aspirants — must be backed by 20,000 registered voters instead of the current 10,000.
Out of the 20,000 voters, 10,000 must be from five constituencies. The aim is to ensure the candidate has a national appeal.
By awarding 90 seats in Parliament to women, Kenya would be emulating other East African countries.
Tanzania has reserved 75 seats for women in a Parliament of 320 MPs, while Uganda has 69 seats for women, with five each for the youth, people with disabilities and workers. Uganda has 319 MPs.
In Kenya, there would be 74 women district representatives, 10 women seats for youth, people with disabilities, trade unions, ethnic minorities and pastoralists and six nominated women MPs, bringing the total number of women MPs to 90.
Women would also be allowed to contest the normal constituency seats as well, which would raise their numbers beyond the 90-mark.
The 74 women district representatives would be picked through an Electoral College at the district level through district party lists.
The 20 seats for special groups would also be picked through a national Electoral College but within the special groups only."

I read that leo from the standard and am so mad i cant even explain it.

1. Why more mp's coz teh average kenyan who is living near the poverty line can afford to pay more taxes so that some one can sleep in the parliament?
2. Affarmative action MY FOOT!!!!!!!
3.What have the present mp's done? NOTHING!!!!! except steal yes STEAL from the mwananchi left right and center.

"An MP’s basic salary is Sh200,000; a minimum commuted mileage of Sh75,000; an entertainment allowance of Sh60,000; an extraneous allowance pegged at Sh30,000; a house allowance of Sh70,000 and a motor vehicle fixed cost of Sh247,000.
With an additional 94 MPs, the parliamentary payroll would amount to at least Sh231.4 million per month."
Yani pay that to an individual when at the same time you have countless dying of diseases from lack of proper medical care, or dying from hunger and malnutrition? it is not only mean its incomprehensible. Shocking aspect thsi is being done to us by our LEADERS, what are they leading us to DEATH!!!!!

P.s To be continued......