A report tabled in parliament by the Controller of Budget, Margaret Nyakang’o noted that the budget allocated to retired presidents reduced.
The report further revealed that the budget for constitutional officeholders and the retired president dropped to Ksh655.27 million in the three months to September from Ksh985.5 million.
This was a drop of Ksh330.23 million which was mainly linked to pay expenditure to Moi’s retirement packages.
“The reduction in the budget provisions compared to a similar period financial year 2019/2020 was instigated by a lower budger from the Auditor General and the office of the former presidents,” the report stated.
The law entitles them to two personal assistants, four secretaries, four messengers, four drivers, housekeepers, home cleaners, and bodyguards, bringing the total staff count to 34 workers excluding security guards who should be at least six.
The hefty retirement packages extended to two former leaders – Kibaki and Moi – has been faulted by Kenyans on the grounds that the packages are excessive.
Kibaki retired from the presidency in 2013 after serving two five-year terms and Moi retired in 2002 having been in power for 24 years.
The former president had been receiving retirement benefits including a monthly pension equivalent to 80% of the salary paid to the sitting president, a fleet of luxury cars, a fully furnished office, and about 40 workers.
The treasury cut the annual budget for salaries and allowances for the constitutional office holders to Ksh4.17 billion in the year to June 2021 from Ksh4.64 billion in a similar period in 2020 following Moi’s death.
The 2018/2019 financial year saw the staff salaries gobble up Ksh95 million.
Source: KENYAGIST.COM
