Kibaki, the gentleman refuses salary raise!

 President Mwai Kibaki has refused to accept a salary raise by members of parliament recently., “He said he had turned down the offer because there are other priority projects in need of urgent funding”.

MPs had decided last week to raise “his basic pay and allowances from $26,000 a month to more than $44,000.”

The Kenyan public in had criticised the move because they argue that the raise was wrong when 60% of the Kenyan people of 32m live under the poverty line managing their lives on one dollar a day.

When Mr Kibaki took over power in 2002 he promised to end corruption and improve the Kenyan people’s living standards. He faces re-election next year. 

While rejecting the raise, he thank MPs for their concern but told them, “I have taken note of the decision reached and weighed its implications under the current economic conditions prevailing in the country, and do hereby turn down the offer. It is imperative that remuneration due to public officers be a true reflection of the economic and social times of the nation.”

We think this was a good example by the president to those MPs who were planning to raise their own salaries if the president had accepted the money.

By Korir, African Press in Norway, APN

africanpress@chello.no

source.bbc